


Return to the Labyrinth

by ArtemisFallen



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Adventure, Conflict, Discovery, F/M, Fluff, Jareth - Freeform, Labyrinth - Freeform, Labyrinth romance, Lost Love, Magic, Regret, Romance, Sarah Williams - Freeform, Self-Doubt, Underground
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-05-30 14:28:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 107,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6427615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtemisFallen/pseuds/ArtemisFallen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thirteen years after the events of the Labyrinth, Sarah finds herself increasingly disappointed with her life and the world in which she lives. She has all but forgotten her adventures in the Labyrinth and the terrifying, yet handsome Goblin King, convinced that her adventure was nothing more than an elaborate dream produced by her adolescent imagination. Until one day, she rediscovers the little book that started it all. This sparks several memories and Sarah comes to realize what she couldn't understand when she was younger; the Goblin King, Jareth, loved her.<br/>Wishing she could relive such a love again, even if it was just a dream, Sarah wishes for the Goblin King to take her away just before falling asleep. But when Sarah awakens, she finds herself in a much different world than the one she had visited before. The Labyrinth is a chaotic, decaying and crumbling place, with deadly beasts who hunt by night and an evil Queen who has lain claim over the Labyrinth and the Goblin City. She has also captured and imprisoned the near powerless Goblin King. Now it is up to Sarah to save the Labyrinth and the Goblin King before it is too late and prove her love to Jareth as she was unable to do many years ago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Every Thrill Is Gone

Sarah sighed heavily as she stared out into the bleak and dreary day. She found it fitting that the weather matched her mood.  
“So, that's it, then?” She asked, the words scarcely audible as they left her throat.  
A sigh echoed hers. “I don't know what else you want me to say, Sarah.” Steven’s voice was contrite with exasperation.  
Sarah chewed mercilessly on her lower lip. She watched the rain bead lazily upon the window and trickle down against her ghostly reflection. She wondered if in fact she was seeing the rain or her own tears.  
“I don't understand.” She swallowed, trying to suppress the sad whine that wanted to enter her voice. “How is it so easy for you to walk away from me?”  
“It's not that it's easy, Sarah,” Steven quipped almost angrily. “Just don’t do this, okay? Please don't make this harder than it already is.”  
Sarah scoffed ruefully at the statement, blinking away her tears. She continued to watch the falling rain. “I love you, but it's not enough, is it?” She glanced down at her hand, her engagement band taunting her with happy memories.  
“Sarah,” Steven sighed again with exasperation. It seemed as if everything she did anymore annoyed him.  
“When did you stop loving me?” She asked, knowing that the answer, if he chose to give it, would devastate her.  
She could hear Steven shift uncomfortably and begin to pace. She was upsetting him.  
“Why are you doing this, Sarah?” He asked. “What’s the point?”  
“Just answer me,” Sarah pressed, glancing back down at the engagement band.  
“For once in your life, just leave it!” Steven snapped. “This is hard enough as it is.”  
“Is it?” Sarah asked hollowly, rotating the band around her finger mindlessly. “It didn’t seem hard for you at all.”  
“Sarah,” Steven warned.  
“People change their minds about what they want to wear or what they want to have for dinner,” Sarah continued, ignoring the tone in Steven’s voice. “They don’t change about wanting to get married overnight. So, you owe me an answer. It’s the least you can give me. When did you stop loving me?”  
Steven stopped pacing. “Fine, you want it to go down like this? Then here it goes.” His voice was filled with bitterness and anger. Sarah braced herself for the tirade. “I never should've proposed to you in the first place. It was a whim. A mistake. I thought it would bring back that spark I felt for you when we first met. It didn't. Alright? I haven't been in love with you since before I proposed. I was caught up in you, your life, your stories. You seemed so different and I wanted to be part of your world.” He hesitated for a moment. “But that magic is gone and it has been for a long time.” He confessed. “Don't lie to me and say you don't feel the same way.”  
Sarah closed her eyes against the harsh words and the pain they brought. It was not so much the words themselves that hurt her, but the fact that they were true. He was right, after all. The magic, that spark of their first year had all but extinguished. She had striven against the waning of his affections for some time. It had taken every ounce of her imagination to keep the passion and romance in their relationship alive. His proposal led her to believe that they would overcome the stagnation. However, his late nights and continual distance had begun to wear heavily on her suspicions. That is until now, as his true feelings had finally come to fruition, leaving Sarah to wonder why she had tried so ardently to save their love in the first place. But in the end, Steven was right. Every thrill in their relationship had truly gone.  
“Just because we’re not the exciting couple we once were doesn't mean that I don’t still love you,” she whispered.  
Steven scoffed. “Oh, there she is!” He derided. “There’s the Sarah Williams I know. There always has to be a bad guy, doesn't there, Sarah? You can never admit to any fault, you cling to your high virtues. The world’s just so unfair to you, isn’t it? Well, this is life, sweetheart, and you need to wake up. You may want to live in a dream the rest of your life, but I'm not about to sleep through the rest of mine.”  
And there it was, the explanation that she had asked for, but knew would destroy her. “No, it's not fair,” she whispered, a distant memory stirring at the words. “But that's how it is.” A tear slid down her cheek as she rolled the ring from her finger and placed it on the window ledge next to her. She continued to gaze through her ghostly reflection out at the dark and ominous clouds, feeling a sense of longing to be part of them, to just wisp away into nothing.  
“Goodbye, Steven,” she whispered, lost in the haze of melancholy that devoured her.  
“You're not even going to look at me?” He asked.  
Sarah continued to stare out at the dismal gray, her silence seemingly serving as the most fitting answer. She could hear Steven’s footsteps approach. It took all her willpower to continue her gaze out the window as he snatched the discarded ring.  
“I'll send for my things,” he said brusquely, walking away and slamming the door for embellishment as he left. Sarah braced her palms on the window ledge, lost within herself. A cold shiver washed over her, setting a chill to her skin and penetrating her heart.  
She dismally reflected back on her life and the loves that had come and gone. Each had ended in heartache and sorrow unsurpassed. Each had left her in desolate isolation that threatened to swallow her very being.  
Was there something wrong with her? Why did everyone she love leave her? Why was she never good enough, no matter how hard she tried? These and many questions like it plagued Sarah’s mind until she could no longer stand the sound of her own thoughts tormenting her. Eventually, she found herself wandering through the apartment. It now felt empty, bleak and lonely, despite the presence of the furniture and several shelves filled with books. The feeling of isolation gripped Sarah, consuming her to the point where she felt suffocated.  
She had to leave. She had to get out of the apartment and go somewhere far away from the memories that danced along the periphery of her mind.  
Hurriedly, she ran to the bedroom and entered the closet, searching for a bag. She groaned in frustration as she realized that Steven had taken all the suitcases for his own clothes and belongings. Sara emerged from the closet, frustrated and close to hysterics. Her breath hitched unevenly as she tried to calm herself. As Sarah struggled to remain composed, she spotted her trunk in the corner of the room. She nearly dove for the old trunk, banging her knees against the old, scuffed wood. She flung it open and was greeted by many things she had kept from childhood. Among the items was an old fur worn bear, a diary, some blankets, and an old creased backpack. She grabbed the backpack and returned to the closet. She began to unceremoniously toss clothes into it, giving little thought to what she was actually packing. After she emerged from the closet, she went to the bathroom, gathering up the necessary toiletries and shoving them into a zippered pocket.  
In her frenzy, Sarah managed to gather a few more supplies before grabbing her keys and wallet. She stalked towards the door and opened it, throwing a regrettable glance back over her shoulder. Memories began to tickle her mind once again and she angrily slammed the door on them, running out into the torrential downpour that cascaded from the sky. She stopped under the surge of rain, raising her face up to the Heavens, allowing the water to cleanse her. She hoped that somewhere outside in the storm that she would find her escape. Sarah longed for any kind of peace, even if it was for the briefest moment. 

Sarah found herself sitting on the bed of her motel room some time later. She was cold and soaked to the bone. The staff had given her a fair share of concerned and suspicious looks, but had rented her a room anyway. To her surprise, she was on the top floor and had a small balcony. She wondered if the woman at the front desk had given her a better room at a discount. She had kindly asked Sarah if she was visiting the city.  
Sarah had barely replied, simply stating that she had to get away. The lady was courteous and understanding, clicking a few buttons on the computer before smiling brightly and handing Sarah a keycard and wishing her a wonderful stay.  
Sarah peered around the room. It was a nicely decorated room with neutral brown and tan colors. There was small flat screen television and refrigerator by the dresser as well as a small table and chair. A coffee maker with various coffees and teas sat on the long sink counter. Sarah considered making herself a cup of hot tea. She stood up, walking over to the thermostat and cranking it up several degrees before filling the coffee pot with water and setting it on the burner. Sarah shivered again and considered taking a hot shower while she waited for the water to boil for her tea. The idea of the hot, scalding water was too tempting to turn down and soon Sarah found herself under the cathartic blast of the shower nozzle. As her body began to warm, her core began to numb as she unwillingly rehashed her encounter with Steven over and over in her head. It seemed that no matter how far she ran, she could not escape the sadness that patiently awaited her.  
Even though she was clean, warm and nursing a cup of piping hot tea, Sarah still felt the dismal hollowness threatening to spread through her once more. Sarah sat down her unfinished tea and began to rifle through her backpack, pulling out her most comfortable pair of worn, but soft jeans and a black tank top. After she slipped these on, she wove herself into her black long sleeved cardigan, nestling down against its softness for comfort. She was thankful that part of her had still been in the right mind to pack sensibly. She sat in the large chair near the desk, pulling her feet up onto the cushion with her. She reached for her mug of tea and sat huddled in the chair, reflecting upon a great many things.  
How do I keep falling for the wrong guy? She asked herself petulantly. She was twenty eight years old and she never seemed to find the one true love she had always dreamed of. She cursed her books and romantic movies for putting the notion of the perfect man in her head. She’d finally come to the conclusion that it was all bullshit.  
There was no such thing as a perfect man and no such thing as a perfect love. Simple as that.  
Sarah drained the rest of her cooling tea, sad and burdened. She stood up and reached into her bag, searching for her toothbrush. She rifled through it, unable to find it even though she was sure she had packed it. In a rush of unfounded rage, she tipped the backpack and shook it violently. The contents of the bag spilled out onto the floor. Sara gave the bag another shake and out fell her toothbrush, followed by a small red, leather bound book.  
Sarah gazed at the book in confusion before recognition finally set in. She reached down and gathered up the book lovingly, as if picking up a small, wounded animal.  
“I thought I lost you!” She exclaimed. “Have you been hiding in this bag all these years?”  
Sarah distractedly threw some items back into the backpack, including her toothbrush, and then discarded it beside the bed. She crawled under the fluffy comforter, feeling surprisingly light spirited. She clutched the book to her chest, a true smile of happiness on her lips.  
“Wow, it’s been so long. I remember,” she mused quietly, stroking her fingers lovingly over the pressed golden letters on the front of the book. “The Labyrinth.”  
She had loved this book since she was a teenager. She had used to act it out in the park when no one was watching. Well, not no one. There was always a beautiful white owl who would come watch her perform.  
She smiled at the memories. She had had so many adventures in the Labyrinth! They had been so real to her at the time. But over time, her memories had faded and as she grew up, she had convinced herself that her adventure was nothing more than a fantastic dream. She concentrated on the distant memories, recalling how she had beseeched the Goblin King to take her brother in the dream and how she had then journeyed into the Labyrinth to reclaim him. The dream, which Sarah had all but forgotten after so many years, came flooding back to her in crisp detail. She remembered her friends and the trials she had to face in the Labyrinth. Then she remembered the ballroom and the dance, and how the Goblin King, Jareth, had taken her hand, singing to her in mesmerizing, dulcet tones.  
Her heart fluttered at the memory and she blinked in confusion. His tone, his words came spiraling back to her. I move the stars for no one. How you turn my world, you precious thing. The memory of the dream was powerful, as if she were watching it play out in front of her at that exact moment. The memory of his eyes upon her, his hand firmly grasping hers flooded through her with newfound clarity. As a young girl, she had not been able to understand the meaning of his looks and his words.  
“He loved me,” she mumbled to herself, awestruck by the revelation. “He loved me and I turned him away.”  
She closed her eyes, thinking back to the words he had said to her before she had awoken.  
“‘Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave,’” she recited softly. The words now, to her adult mind, had a much deeper meaning. It was a plea. A plea for her love.  
Disappointment weighed heavily on Sarah’s mind. There had been something about him, Jareth, that had frightened her when she was younger. But now, as she thought back on him, there was only a man who wanted, needed, her love so desperately. Sure, he had been cruel to her in the dream, but she had also been cruel and indignant.Now the memory of his eyes, those fantastically multi-colored eyes haunted Sarah in the most exquisite way. She closed her eyes, conjuring up an image of the Goblin King in her mind. He smiled at her, his lips tilting wickedly and playfully. His eyes flashed with mischief and desire. In every sense, he was beautiful to her. She imagined herself with him. He reached out for her hand, pulling her close. His gloved fingers sang lovingly across her cheek and his lips brushed featherlight over hers, teasing her with what promised to be the most fantastic kiss of her life. Sarah breathed in deep and she imagined how his lips would feel against hers in that final caress. How his hands would pull her into his form and they would be locked together in a passionate embrace.  
Sarah sighed, opening her eyes. An indescribable longing and utter loss began to fill her chest and she regretted having never kissed Jareth in her dream.  
Too bad I didn't know what he was offering me then, she thought whimsically. I would've liked to beheld such a love once, even if it was just in a dream.  
“Hmm,” she mused softly as she thumbed through the pages of the book. It just further proved her point. Only in a dream could something so wonderful ever happen.  
Sarah shook her head, her dark thoughts returning to the devastation of her past relationships as she skimmed through the lines of the book.  
But what no one knew is that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl, and he had given her certain powers…  
A sad smile tugged at the side of her mouth. “If that were true,” Sarah whispered to the book, “then I would beg your forgiveness and ask to be granted another chance.”  
Sarah sighed again, shaking her head at her ludicrous behavior. This was why Steven and all the others had left. She forever had one foot in reality and the other in a world of fantasy.  
“Time to grow up,” she said to the air as she closed the book. She nestled against the comforter, switching the light on the nightstand off. She held the book close, suddenly very tired from the day’s events. “But what I wouldn't give,” she mumbled sadly as grief began to overwhelm her. “I wish the Goblin King would take me away...right now.”  
A part of Sarah pined for the idea to be swept away into such a world again, but nothing changed. Fighting against the rage of tears and the sobs that grew in her chest, Sarah curled up in the bed and cried herself to sleep.


	2. In Search of New Dreams

Something rustled near Sarah’s head and she groaned, batting sleepily at the unseen nuisance. 

“Go away,” she mumbled unhappily, rolling over and yanking the comforter up and over her head.

Her complaint was met with a tittering and a physical body scrambling quickly across her. Sarah’s eyes popped open, suddenly alert. Something was in the room with her. She threw back the comforter, already prepared to make a run for the door. Bright sunlight struck her eyes and she was forced to raise her arm against the brilliance of the light. She blinked several times, trying to get her bearings. After several moments, Sarah realized that she was no longer in her room at the motel. Her mouth gaped open as she slowly lowered her arm. She stared incredulously as she beheld the expanse of the Labyrinth beneath her on the hillside she and her bed mysteriously rested upon. 

“What?” She gasped, rubbing her hands over her still unbelieving eyes. “It can’t be.”

But it was. The Labyrinth lay before her, even more massive than she had remembered it. Something wriggled underneath the comforter and Sarah squealed in surprise, tossing the heavy comforter from the bed. She peered over the side of the bed at the massive blanket. It sat still and unmoving. Whatever had been trapped within it had escaped. Hesitantly, Sarah climbed out of the bed, her toe brushing against her backpack that sat open and on the ground.  As she stooped down to pick it up, something from inside the backpack snarled at her. She withdrew her hand in fright as a rat like creature peered out.

“Ugh!” Sarah yelped in disgust. “Get out of there!”

The rat-like creature glared at Sarah with deep red eyes and hissed menacingly at her.

“Go on!” She shouted, swatting at it. “Get out of here before I stomp you!”

The creature shrieked as she smacked the side of her backpack. It shot out of the bag and hopped to a safe distance. It was an ugly creature with large red eyes and an elongated nose. Its hair stood off its body in uneven brown tufts and its ears were far too large with several chunks missing from them. Its buck teeth hung from its mouth almost comically, but were big enough to let Sarah know that she didn’t want to be bitten. The creature turned to snarl at Sarah again. Sarah grabbed for a rock and raised it threateningly over her head. The creature then took off down the hill towards the Labyrinth. Sarah stared after it in amazement.

“How can this be a dream? It feels so real,” she whispered. Sarah grabbed her backpack and checked it for more nasty surprises before zipping it closed. She gazed under the bed hopefully and was grateful to find her shoes. She slipped them on in a hurry and slung the backpack over her shoulder and she started down the hill and towards the Labyrinth.

As she approached the massive gates, her stomach twisted in uneasy knots. The gate that had once been heavy and closed, sagged on its hinges, decimated and broken. Shards of splintered wood, shattered stone and twisted metal lay in ruin all around the entrance. Sarah tentatively peered through the entryway. Untended growth had reclaimed much of the path. Sarah eased herself over a large, upturned stone, ever mindful of her footing as she entered the Labyrinth. Her skin chilled against the eerie air the Labyrinth now seemed to hold. Even though the path was littered with vines and growth, the plants were dead and brittle. Sarah held her breath and listened intently. There was no sound at all, no buzzing, no insects, not even a breeze flowing through the Labyrinth.  The Labyrinth was a very different place from how she remembered it.

“It’s dying,” Sarah muttered to herself, her fingers absentmindedly trailing along the stone wall of the Labyrinth. She began slowly walking, her eyes keenly taking in the details of her surroundings and watching for the subtle changes in the walls that would lead her deeper into the Labyrinth.  As she walked through the maze of walls and rock, the feeling of unease and dread began to rise steadily within her. She spied a mound of rubble that blocked the path and she continued to it. The wall had collapsed. Sarah quickened her pace only to stop dead and stare in horror at what lie beyond the crumbling wall. 

A mound of charred skeletal goblin bodies greeted her on the other side.. Sarah gasped at the sight of the carnage. There were too many of them to even begin counting. Sarah surveyed the blackened corpses, noting that most were still clad in armor and battlegear. Several charred and ruined weapons littered the ground around their bodies.  It looked as if there had been a battle quite some time ago. Sarah bent down and examined the dented and cobwebbed armor. It was brittle and old, rust having gnawed large gaping holes through the metal.

_ What happened here?  _ Sarah wondered.  _ How long ago did this happen? _ She felt a sickening knot form squarely in her stomach as she looked down the path that led deeper into the Labyrinth. On impulse, she picked up a nearly intact spear. It did little to assuage her unease, but she felt slightly better having armed herself, dream or not.

Sarah pushed on, finding several more battlegrounds with charred and ruined bodies. It appeared to her that the Labyrinth had been attacked and then burned. She couldn’t even fathom the battle that had occurred. She had easily passed hundreds of dead goblin bodies. What really concerned Sarah was that she was only seeing goblin bodies. Whatever they were fighting left no trace of itself when it had been slain. 

_ If they had slain it _ , she corrected herself, clutching the spear tightly. If a horde of goblins couldn’t take down even one of the enemy, how could she stand a chance? Her mind raced with unanswered questions. What could’ve burned the goblins like that? A dragon? But why would they fight out in the open if there was a dragon? What broke through the walls of the Labyrinth? These questions and a myriad of others plagued Sarah as she navigated the decaying corridors, discovering some to be simply impassable due to collapse or overgrowth.  

Sarah trudged on, feeling as if she had been walking for hours. She strove to make out anything that seemed familiar to her at all, but the Labyrinth had become a foreign place. The sun was beginning to dip low in the sky and Sarah longed to rest. She was hungry and had developed an irritable thirst. 

“Come on,” she complained to the sky. “I just need something familiar. Anything!” Her voice fell flat against the rocks. The Labyrinth could not even give her the decency of an echo.  The heavy silence was almost torturous. Sarah kicked a rock in frustration and decided to keep moving. She turned down a corridor and was angered to find it a dead end. She turned around and nearly ran into a solid wall that had formed behind her on the path from which she had just emerged.

“Well, at least that’s something familiar,” she grumbled, turning back around to see that the dead end now led into an open clearing with a stone fountain at its center.

“Finally!” Sarah breathed happily, trotting over to the fountain and sitting down on its edge. The water glistened pleasantly in the failing sunlight. Sarah reached her hands and appraised the water. It appeared cool and clean. She raised her hands to her mouth and drank sloppily, wetting mostly her clothes instead of her throat. After she had drank her fill, Sarah slid down the side of the fountain and gazed about her surroundings. It was very serene, even with the absence of plant life and insects. The silence here didn’t seem as oppressive as it had in the corridors.

Sarah reached down and began rubbing her ankles. She’d walked a long way. She was amazed at the vividness and clarity this dream had. She truly felt as if she were in the Labyrinth.

As her thoughts idled away, the fountain began to bubble softly. Sarah jumped in surprise at the sudden sound that cut through the silence. She watched warily as the water began to turn and then erupt from the spout atop the fountain and cascade down in a sheet of water. 

“Whoa,” she murmured, trailing her fingers through the curtain of water. She hadn’t realized how much she had missed even the simplest of sounds. The running water was like music to her ears. She giggled to herself, watching the twilight hue of the sun reflect off the water in a rainbow effect. It was the most beautiful thing she had seen in the death and decay of the Labyrinth all day.

As she sat and pondered the serendipity of her situation, another sound caught her attention. Unlike the soothing gurgle of the fountain, this noise alarmed Sarah. She stood quickly, gripping her spear tightly as the snap of vines and brush continued to grow closer to her. Rapid footsteps scurried behind her and she turned in time to see a blackened and decaying hedge shudder with movement. Something or someone was hiding within it.

“Who’s there?” She called out. “Show yourself!”

“I don’t want no trouble!” Came a gravelly voice. “Please just let me be!”

Sarah’s brow knitted in consternation. “I won’t hurt you. Come out where I can see you.”

“How do I knows you won’t hurt me?” Came the reply.

“Either come out on your own or I’ll come in after you,” Sarah threatened lowly. “The choice is yours.”

“Alright, alright!” The voice relented, clearly annoyed. “You win. Cor!”

Sarah blinked, another memory flashing across her periphery. A small, lame legged dwarf hobbled out from behind the hedges, his stubby arms held up in defeat.

Sarah let the spear drop to her side as she gazed at the dwarf. She recognized him almost instantly. “I don’t believe it...Hoggle?”

“Argh, it’s Hoggle!” He corrected her and then stopped. “Oh, wait, you got it right.” He eyed her suspiciously, his hands still held in the air. “Who’re you?”

Sarah dropped to her knees, overcome with emotions that had long since been lost. She’d remembered Jareth, the Goblin King, but she had nearly forgotten all about her friends.

“Oh, Hoggle. It’s me!” She exclaimed, giddy with the excitement and delight of seeing someone familiar. “It’s Sarah.”

“Wha--What?” Hoggle muttered, clearly confused. He lowered his hands to his sides. He appraised her studiously. “Sarah?”

She nodded enthusiastically, holding out her arms in a welcoming gesture.

“No, you can’t be Sarah,” Hoggle yelled vehemently as he backed away. “Sarah’s gone.”

“No, Hoggle,” Sarah contended, desperation entering her voice. “I’m here. I came back! I finally came back.” Her words were choked with emotion.

“Sarah’s forgotten about us,” Hoggle prattled as he continued to back away. “She don’t need us anymore.”

“I do need you,” Sarah called after him, collapsing into herself, sudden despair gripping her at the thought of his departure. “Please, don’t leave me, too.”

Hoggle stopped, anger in his voice. “Why not? You were supposed to be Hoggle’s friend. Instead, you forgot about us.”

“I thought you were a dream,” Sarah replied, unable to defend herself any better. “I grew up.”

Hoggle warily approached her, gazing at her. Sarah’s sad eyes met his. 

“You did grow up,” Hoggle said, his voice more gentle. “Why’d you go an’ do that?”

Sarah gave him a weak, sad smile. “It’s what humans do.”

“Cor!” Hoggle exclaimed. “And what good’s it done ya?”

Sarah shook her head. “It hasn’t done any good. For me or for anyone.”

Hoggle sighed, sidling up to Sarah. He begrudgingly opened his arms to her. “Well, I can’t stand to see you sad. Even if it’s been a long time, you’re still Hoggle’s friend and always will be.”

Sarah leaned forward, embracing the dwarf. “I’m sorry I forgot,” Sarah whispered. “But sometimes we forget our dreams.”

“What makes you think you’re dreamin’?” Hoggle asked.

Sarah pulled away from him and chuckled. “Because magic and Underground worlds don’t really exist.”

“Humph! You’re still as thick headed as ever,” Hoggle insisted, tapping lightly on her forehead. “How’d you get here anyway?”

“I woke up here and I’ve been walking through the Labyrinth all day.” Sarah explained. “You’re the first person or thing that I’ve seen since I got here.”

“Hmm, did you do that?” Hoggle asked, pointing to the fountain.

Sarah shook her head. “No, it just started on its own. Why?”

Hoggle’s brow creased with thought, but he waved it off. “Doesn’t matter. What matters is that it’s gettin’ late.We can’t be out after nightfall. It’s too dangerous.”

“Nightfall?” Sarah inquired. “Why? What happens when the sun goes down?”

Hoggle went over to the fountain,pulling a waterskin from his belt and filling it. “A lot’s happened since you left. The Labyrinth isn’t what it used to be.”

“I can tell,” Sarah agreed. “Hoggle, what happened here?”

Hoggle reached out for Sarah, encouraging her to follow him as they walked and talked. “A while back there was an attack on the Labyrinth. It’s been dying ever since.”

“What do you mean an attack?” Sarah asked, concerned. “Where’s Jareth? Did he fight back?”

Hoggle stopped, turning his head to Sarah. “You really don’t know, do you?”

“How could I?” Sarah asked emphatically. “I’ve only just returned, but I saw the remains of hundreds of goblin soldiers burned to a crisp and the ruin of the Labyrinth. All I know is that there had to have been a horrible battle.”

Hoggle sighed deeply. “There was.”

“Hoggle?” Sarah ventured, the same sense of dread returning to her in chilly waves as she gazed at the dwarf’s face. “What happened? What are you not telling me?”

“You’re in danger, Sarah,” Hoggle said simply. “Just by being here.”

“In danger? From who? Jareth?” Sarah asked fearfully. “I didn’t think he would ever hurt me.”

“No,” Hoggle said sadly, shaking his head. “Not him. Jareth… Jareth’s gone.”


	3. Such a Fooled Heart

Sarah felt the earth sway under her and before she realized what was happening, she was on her knees. Hoggle’s words had literally knocked her off her feet.

“Sarah!” Hoggle exclaimed in concern. “Are you alright?”

Sarah braced herself against the hard ground with her palm and rubbed her head with her other hand. Her mind reeled with unconcealable loss and pain as Hoggle’s words echoed in her ears. “Wha--? What do you mean? How can he be gone?” Sarah stuttered.

Hoggle pulled ineffectively at Sarah’s hand. “Come, Sarah. I’ll explain everything, but it’s not safe out here.” Hoggle muttered, his eyes flicking nervously to the darkening horizon. With a little more urging, Sarah finally manage to her feet, her head still spinning from Hoggle’s revelation.

“This way,” Hoggle called, hopping along quickly. “Hurry!”

Confused and distraught, Sarah repositioned her backpack on her shoulders and continued after the dwarf who, for having two lame legs, was surprisingly quick.

The thought of Jareth being gone resonated deeply within Sarah and an overwhelming sense of loss began to consume her. She lagged behind her dwarven friend, wrapped up in a haze of her own sorrow. Unbidden tears began to form in her eyes and trail down her cheeks.

“Don’t fall behind!” Hoggle scolded, shaking Sarah from her cloud of misery.

“Okay,” Sarah answered, sniffling and wiping her eyes, resolving to keep up better. The dwarf was running now, ducking through low archways and sliding through short, narrow pathways that proved extremely difficult for Sarah to navigate in such a haste.

“Hoggle!” Sarah called out as she became wedged between two stones. “Wait!”

Sarah pushed and grunted, having to retreat back down the path and crawl through on her stomach. She groaned as she pulled herself over the tangled mess of weeds and earth, ripping a piece of her cardigan off in the process.

“Great,” she grumbled as she continued to wiggle out through the passageway. She stood up and ineffectively brushed herself off. She squinted against the rapidly growing darkness, searching for her dwarven friend.

“Hoggle?” Sarah called out softly.

“Over here!”

Sarah quickly followed the sound of Hoggle’s voice and despite the darkness, caught up to him.

Sarah panted with exertion. The little dwarf was quick when he wanted to be. Sarah gazed about their surroundings. Hoggle had led her to what appeared to be ancient ruins inside the Labyrinth. Crumbled statues and decaying vines littered the ground. Sarah watched curiously as Hoggle tapped along the stones, finding a loose one. He grabbed for a branch and began working to pry up the stone.  

“Down there,” he whispered, his eyes frantically darting in all directions. Sarah stared down the hole at a ladder.

“Go on,” Hoggle urged. “I’ll follow.”

Sarah was unsure of the darkness that awaited her, but she decided to trust her little dream friend. Carefully, she began to descend into the darkness. She was at the bottom before Hoggle began coming down the ladder, carefully replacing the stone above him. Sarah waited in the oppressive black until she heard Hoggle’s feet hit the ground. He struck a match and lit a lantern that was hanging on the wall next to the ladder.

“This way,” Hoggle said, hobbling down what appeared to be an unending path. Sarah followed him, having to duck down so she could continue through the low passage. By the time they reached the door at the end of the long corridor, Sarah was crawling on her hands and knees.

Hoggle set the lantern down and mumbled incoherently as he fumbled through several keys. He found the right one and opened the door. Sarah was greeted by a large, simply furnished room with a warm fire and a stew bubbling in the pot over it.

“Welcome to my home!” Hoggle beamed proudly. Sarah crawled through the door after Hoggle. She was relieved that she could stand once she entered his home. She looked around, admiring the wicker wood furniture, the stone tables and the wool blankets that decorated the place.

Sarah smiled. “I love it,” she said genuinely. Hoggle grinned in pleasure and indicated for Sarah to sit. Sarah did so, having to adjust her long legs to accommodate herself comfortably on the low furniture. The chair she chose groaned slightly under her weight, but held her despite her size.

Hoggle went over to the fire and began stirring the stew. He breathed in appreciatively. “Just in time! Nothin’ like rumpleshrew stew. Caught ‘im just this morning! Want some?”

“Ru-rumpleshrew?” Sarah asked, afraid to ask what a rumpleshrew was. The rat-like creature she had encountered earlier that morning suddenly ran across her memory and she feared she knew what a rumpleshrew was after all.

“It’s good for ya!” Hoggle announced, reaching inside a crude cabinet for two rock carved bowls. He piled them as high as he possibly could with the stew and carefully brought the bowls to the table in front of Sarah. He set them down and bounced eagerly back over the the fire, uncovering a pan of bread and pulling two large chunks from it. He offered a large piece to Sarah before sitting down across from her, rubbing his hands together in delightful anticipation of the meal. Sarah watched Hoggle begin to eat while she eyed her own bowl of stew cautiously.

It appeared to be like any other stew she had ever had. The meat was dark and thick, and there were large chunks of potatoes and carrots floating in the dark brown broth. She inhaled the steaming aroma wafting from the bowl and felt her stomach growl appreciatively. She couldn’t deny that it smelled wonderful and she was positively famished. Tentatively, Sarah dipped her wooden spoon into and nibbled on a piece of meat. She tried to push the image of the rat out of her head as she did this. She was surprised as a wonderful flavor flooded her mouth. The meat was tender and incredibly flavorful. In fact, it reminded her of the taste of lamb. Impressed and no longer bothered by the lingering image of the rat creature, Sarah began to eat heartily, savoring the stew.

Hoggle and Sarah ate in silence. Hoggle went for a second helping and Sarah bashfully accepted when he offered her another bowl as well. Once Hoggle was done slurping up the remains of the broth from his second bowl, he sat back against his chair, a satisfied smile plastered across his face.

“Hoggle,” Sarah began, wringing her hands with worry. “What did you mean when you said Jareth’s gone?”

Hoggle absentmindedly stroked his full belly, his expression unhappy. “I suppose you gotta know. You must’ve come back for a reason.” Hoggle narrowed his eyes at her. “By the way, how did you get back here?”

Sarah turned her head, a blush coming to her cheeks. “I...um, I asked to come back.”

Hoggle’s eyes widened in surprise. “Ya did? Why?”

Sarah felt her mouth twitch. “I don’t know. I was unhappy. My life didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. I’ve always felt like there was something missing, something that was waiting for me, but I could no longer reach it.” She shook her head, she knew she was babbling. “I was lost, Hoggle. I didn’t know where to go. No matter how far I ran, I couldn’t escape the life that was laid out for me. But then I found something.” Sarah reached for her backpack and unzipped the front pocket where she had put her book. She picked it up and showed it to Hoggle, smiling at the confused expression the dwarf wore. “I found this book. It’s about the Labyrinth and I remembered my dream from so long ago. I remembered that this was the last place where I felt like I could truly be myself. I wasn’t just a player on a set stage going through the motions of a scripted life. I felt like this was my story, that it was written for me and I longed to be a part of it once again. So, I wished for the Goblin King to take me away.” Sarah held the book in her lap, stroking the cover lovingly. “I wanted to return to him, Hoggle. I needed to come back to him.”

“Him?” Hoggle asked. “You mean, Jareth?”

Sarah nodded, still stroking the cover of the book.

“Why?” Hoggle asked, astounded.

“Because,” Sarah whispered, her pink hue turning to hot fire upon her cheeks. “I think...I love him.”

“What?!” Hoggle exclaimed. “Jareth?!?! Cor!”

Sarah shook her head and swallowed hard, her eyes burning with the threat of tears. “I know how it sounds, but it’s the truth. I came back to find him. I asked him to bring me back.” _And now he’s gone, too._

“Humph,” Hoggle muttered. “Well, ain’t that somethin’?”

“What do you mean?” Sarah sniffled.

Hoggle rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “I’ve known Jareth my whole life. He was cruel, deceitful, conceited and spoiled. You know this, too. But he was the Goblin King, he’s always been self absorbed, self loving. He don’t know any better, I suppose. Not that it’s any kinda excuse, mind you. But when you summoned him and he met you, something changed. He cared ‘bout somethin’ else other than himself.” Hoggle shifted uncomfortably, throwing nervous glances at Sarah. “It was like he was bewitched. You consumed him.  After you denied him, he fell into despair. We didn’t know it at the time, but Jareth… well he, uh…” Hoggle’s eyes met Sarah’s. “He loved you.”

Sarah felt her heart take a suicidal leap from her chest as it tried to escape out through her throat. She’d been right. Her memories had been correct. Jareth, the Goblin King, had loved her. Sarah closed her eyes and placed her hand over her face, trying to conceal her heartbreak from her friend.

“Tell me what happened,” Sarah said, knowing deep in her soul that she was the cause of all the misfortunes that had come to pass on the Labyrinth and its inhabitants.

Hoggle cleared his throat. “It’s a long story, but after you left, Jareth began to lose his powers.”

Sarah pursed her lips, struggling to remain composed. “Lost his powers? How?”

“I guess it was because you… broke his heart,” Hoggle answered unwillingly. “Without his powers, he couldn’t control the Labyrinth. I always thought Jareth was a rat. A spoiled rat with the magic to get everything he wanted and he didn’t care who he stepped on just so he could get his way. What I didn’t know was that he protected the Labyrinth and all those in it from the darker forces of the Underground.” Hoggle’s sad eyes met Sarah’s. “Turns out there were worse things out there than Jareth.”

Sarah swallowed hard. “What things? Tell me, Hoggle. Why are you in hiding? What happened here? And don’t spare my feelings in the details. I need to know.”

Hoggle hesitated before continuing, considering Sarah’s request. “When you left, you cursed Jareth. Your words were his undoing and you left him with a broken heart, fracturing his magic. His powers started to fade and the Labyrinth fell into chaos. It may not’ve seemed like it, but Jareth did maintain a certain order to things. Without his power to control the Labyrinth, it grew and became unstable.”

“That’s why it seems so much bigger,” Sarah muttered, riddled with guilt.

“It grows everyday, but it can’t sustain its own growth. The more it grows, the more it dies. Soon, there won’t be any life left in the Labyrinth,” Hoggle explained. “Without the protection of Jareth’s magic, others from the Underground began to challenge his rule. Desperate for help, Jareth reached out to an old alliance in hopes of regaining his powers. Mizumi, the sorceress Queen of Moraine, scorned Jareth for losing his heart to a mortal girl.” Hoggle cringed and looked at Sarah, hoping she was not offended by his recount. Sarah simply nodded, allowing Hoggle to continue.

“She refused to help him even though she knew his power was the only thing from keeping the Labyrinth from falling.” Hoggle shook his head. “Rotten thing to do, even to someone like Jareth, if you ask me. Mizumi’s known Jareth for centuries. She’s a jealous and spiteful breed and I think she wanted to punish him for loving a mortal over her. But that’s another story.”

“Mizumi,” Sarah mumbled, the name held no meaning to her, but still she raged with jealousy over the thought of someone else wanting Jareth. “They had a history?”

“Well--er--yes, for centuries. But Jareth, of all people, felt she was too self-centered to have his heart and he left her,” Hoggle explained. Sarah nodded, realizing there was much more to this world than she had ever imagined.

“Where was I?” Hoggle asked, deep in thought. “Oh, yes. Eventually, Jareth’s power vanished completely and the Goblin City was vulnerable to attack. The goblins still fought under Jareth’s command, but his army fell to the threat of the Gorgon Queen of the Northlands.”

“The Gorgon Queen?” Sarah echoed. “Who’s she?”

“A horrible, wretched creature that can turn her enemies to stone with her foul gaze. She commands legions of Chimera. They burned through the goblin army. Those left standin’ retreated into the Labyrinth and have been in hiding, like me. Jareth made a stand at the Goblin City, but the Gorgon Queen had her minions burn it to the ground. She captured Jareth, making him kneel in front of her ‘fore she turned him to solid stone.” Hoggle finished, gauging Sarah’s reaction. “Or at least, that’s what I heard.”

Sarah gaped in horror as Hoggle’s story ended.

“She turned him to stone?” Her skin prickled at the thought.

“That’s what I heard,” he repeated. “The Gorgon Queen ain’t known for takin’ prisoners.”

“But he could still be alive!” Sarah said, her voice laden with hope.

Hoggle shook his head. “No one’s ever come back from stone. All I knows is that Jareth’s gone and so’s his magic. If he is alive encased in stone, it’s only ‘cause Euryale keeps him as her prize.”

Sarah shuddered at the thought. It would be such a cruel fate to be imprisoned within stone.

“But if Jareth’s magic is gone, then how did I get here?” Sarah asked.

Hoggle turned his palms up to Sarah and shrugged. “I don’t know. Jareth’s the only one with the power to cross between worlds that I know of.”

Sarah shook her head. “This doesn’t make any sense. This wasn’t in the book,” she muttered, her fingers rapidly dancing over the pages of the book she still held in her lap.

“Whaddaya mean?” Hoggle asked.

“This part of the story,” Sarah muttered, still flipping through the pages. “There was nothing in here about someone named Euryale…” Just as the words left Sarah’s lips, she noticed that the book actually had more pages than before. Shocked, she began reading the freshly printed lines. Her eyes skimmed over the story and she read about the Princess who had returned to the Labyrinth and joined with an old friend, listening to the tale of woe that had befallen the Labyrinth and its King in her absence. She flipped to the next page and the words appeared right before her very eyes. It was as if the story was being written as she lived it. She dropped the book to her lap and looked at Hoggle who gazed inquisitively back at her.

“Sarah, what is it?” He asked, concerned.

“The story,” she said, bewildered. “It’s writing itself as I live it.” Her words to Hoggle returned to her. “It’s like it’s my story. It’s being written for me.”

“What do you--” Hoggle’s question was cut short as a thunderous rumble resounded throughout the small abode.

Hoggle was on his feet quickly, running to the door.

Sarah stood as well, fear pricking at her. “What was that?”

“Shhhh!” Hoggle hissed, leaning his ear against the door. An unholy screech ripped through the air, causing the flesh on Sarah’s arms to quiver. Hoggle shot back from the door, the color draining from his face. “It’s them! They’re here!”

“Who?!?!” Sarah cried.

“The Chimera! They must’ve tracked us somehow. We gotta get outta here! They’ll burn us to ashes!” Hoggle grabbed Sarah’s hand and pulled her deeper into the house. Sarah was barely able to snatch her backpack and toss her book inside as Hoggle dragged her behind him.

“This way!” Hoggle screeched as the door behind them groaned and splintered under the barrage of a heavy thud. Sarah turned in wide eyed fear towards the door, frantically searching for the attacker. Another heavy thud shuddered the door, sending shards of splintered wood into the room. Through the gaping hole, Sarah witnessed the most terrifying creature she’d ever seen.

It had the jaws of a lion, but the twisted yellow eyes of a goat. Horns rose from its fiery orange mane at the top of its head. It snarled, shooting flames from its grotesque maw. It reached in one long, scaled paw, and clawed at the latch with lizard like claws that were sickeningly reminiscent of a human hand.

“Oh, my God…” Sarah gasped, petrified with horror at the abomination glaring at her. The Chimera snarled and reached for her, but she was thankfully far out of its grasp. It pulled its body back out of the hole and hurled itself against the door again, buckling the faltering wood even more. A snake slid through the hole in the door, its ruby red eyes trained on Sarah. It opened its mouth wide to reveal deadly, sharp fangs dripping with venom. Sarah’s stomach turned in horror and disgust as she realized that the snake was part of the creature. It was in fact, the Chimera’s tail.

“RUN, Sarah!!” Hoggle yelled, shaking Sarah from her shocked state. She looked over her shoulder to see Hoggle huddled in a shallow passage. Sarah nearly dove for him, shoving her backpack into the passageway first and quickly wriggling into the tight crevice. She began to crawl as fast as she could, hearing the disconcerting groan of the wooden door as the creature broke through and bounded towards them. Sarah screamed at the heavy and rapid footfalls that fastly approach her. She pulled her legs into the crevice as fast as she could, but she was too late. Twin daggers of pain stabbed through the fabric of her jeans and tore at her skin. Red hot points of pain danced through Sarah’s vision and she cried out as waves of searing agony coursed up her leg and throughout her body.

She kicked out frantically, using the heel of her sneaker to grind the creature’s snake tail into the ground. The creature howled in pain as Sarah kicked furiously with her other foot and managed to dislodge the snake head from her leg. Now free, Sarah dug viciously at the soil surrounding her, pulling herself up further into the long passageway, effectively gaining distance from the blood thirsty creature.

The creature shrieked hellishly behind her, frantically clawing and digging at the earthen hole. After several moments of intense anticipation, Sarah realized that the creature was far too big to follow and she was safe for the moment. Sarah continued to crawl and pull herself along the earthen hole, the creature’s bellows becoming distant and muffled. Sarah grasped at stray roots, pulling herself through the tight crevice. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Sarah saw moonlight peeking through the opening. She reached for the moon, almost hoping she could grab it and pull herself to freedom. As she continued to stretch, her hands shot through and kissed fresh air. She wiggled out of the hole, gasping in deep gulps of fresh, clean air. She rolled out of the crater and lay on her back next to Hoggle, who clutched Sarah’s bag tightly.

Sarah panted and reveled in the cool, fresh breeze, relieved to be free of the nightmare that had chased them.

Sarah’s leg began to throb, tearing her away from the relief she felt from the cleansing night air. She sat up and winced at the sight of the ripped and bloody mess of her pant leg. Sarah tentatively moved pieces of tattered fabric from the wound to examine her leg. Two large angry red gashes adorned the back of her calf. Even though it hurt like hell and looked nasty, it could have been much worse. She remembered that the creatures breathed fire and she could have been roasted in the hole. Distractedly, she wondered why the creature hadn’t burned her alive. Sarah shook her head, pulling at the torn fabric of her cardigan and ripped off a strip. She wove the makeshift bandage around her leg, hoping it would help stop the bleeding.  

She looked over to Hoggle who laid with his head back and his eyes closed. He struggled to catch his breath.

Sarah swallowed thickly, a heavy realization finally dawning on her. “I’m not dreaming, am I?”

Hoggle shook his head, his eyes still closed. “You never were.”


	4. As The Pain Sweeps Through

Sarah shook her head, panic building within her. “No, no, no,” she chanted. “This can’t be real.” She shot a wild eyed, disbelieving look at Hoggle. “I’m in my bed at the motel. I’m dreaming all of this.”

Hoggle opened his eyes and glared at her. “Cor! You really think you dreamed up that _thing_?!”

Sarah’s mouth hung open as she prepared to deny the reality of her situation, but no words came. “How can this be real?” She finally asked feebly. “It--it was just a story in a book I liked.”

“Look, Sarah, I don’t know what to tell you. What I can tell ya is that thing’s comin’ for us and we’re not safe out here in the open like this.” Hoggle stood, holding out Sarah’s backpack to her. “We gotta keep movin’ and find someplace safe.”

Sarah stared up at her little dwarven friend in shock. Everything she’d witnessed and everything he’d told her had been real. The Labyrinth had suffered an invasion by a powerful and ruthless  Queen and her army of Chimera beasts. Goblins had been slain and countless lives had been lost. This wasn’t merely some tale of woe spun through words on a page. This wasn’t just the desperate creation of her lonely imagination. Jareth wasn’t simply a manifestation of a man who loved her. He had really existed. The Underground world was real, just as it had been all those years ago. Which meant that Jareth truly had loved her and even though she had thought this was just a dream, deep down she had always known it was not. Somewhere in the lost recesses of her heart, she had known this place to be real, but her sensible, adult conditioned mind had made her forget. She’d grown up, but part of her had always held on to the truth, refusing to forget.

Sarah shuddered out a breath, a cold chill crawling its way up her body. _This is real. Jareth’s real._

Hoggle shook the backpack impatiently, causing Sarah to pull herself from her disembodied thoughts.

“Okay,” Sarah said, her voice quavering. “Where do we go?”

“I don’t know,” Hoggle grumbled. “But we can’t stay here.”

Sarah nodded, slowly climbing to her feet. She grimaced as a red hot flash of pain flooded through her leg. She grunted in exertion as she tested her weight. It hurt, but she could power through. She reached for the backpack and slung it over her shoulders.

Hoggle gazed up at her with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“I just hurt my leg getting out of there. I’ll be fine,” Sarah breathed, feeling sweat begin to bead lightly on her forehead. She scanned the area. They were no longer in the ruins but in the middle of a crossroad with four different paths. Each path looked the same to Sarah.

Sarah turned to the path on her left and began to torturously walk down it, her leg flaring in protest. Hoggle followed her quietly.

As they walked, Sarah reflected upon her journey and remembered the adventure she’d had as a teenager. She remembered the goblin king in all his splendor and wondered how she didn’t see his love for her before. A love that was not a dream, but tangible and real. Her sorrow for Jareth had been real. She’d really wanted to see him, to make amends when she thought it was just a dream.

_That’s why it hurt so much,_ her mind taunted her. _Because part of you knew this was real._

Sarah shook her head, angry at her own thoughts. She decided to talk to her little dwarven friend who was unnaturally quiet as they walked down the corridors of the Labyrinth.

“I’m sorry about your home, Hoggle,” Sarah said sympathetically.

Hoggle hummed in acknowledgment, but didn’t say anything. Sarah guessed that he was upset about it as well.

“Do you still think you’re dreaming?” Hoggle asked after another long bout of silence.

Sarah chuckled lightly. “No, not in the slightest. It was foolish of me to think that this was a dream to begin with. I don’t know why i thought it was. Maybe I couldn’t accept that there was another world out there besides my own.” She scoffed at the irony. “Even though it’s what I’ve always wanted.”

“Maybe that’s how you got back,” Hoggle suggested.

“What do you mean?” Sarah asked, glancing over her shoulder at her friend.

Hoggle walked faster, catching up to Sarah’s side, his sullen mood fading. “Maybe you brought yourself back with your magic.”  
Sarah smiled. “If only. I don’t have any magic, Hoggle. I never have.”

“What? ‘Course ya do!” Hoggle said loudly. “Don’t you remember the magic?”

Sarah stopped and looked down at Hoggle, her brow knitted in consternation. “What are you talking about? What magic?”

“Argh!” Hoggle growled in frustration. “The magic he gave you, what else? Cor! Don’t you remember nothin’?” Hoggle shouted, throwing his hands up in the air angrily.

Sarah closed her eyes tightly, remembering something she had just read from the book the night before. “‘But what no one knew was that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl and he had given her certain powers,’” Sarah recited.

“Finally you remember somethin’ useful!” Hoggle muttered.

“But I don’t have any magic!” Sarah argued. “And how do you know he granted me powers?”

“Everyone knows that when a Fae falls in love with another, the recipient of that love receives certain powers!” Hoggle retorted snidely. “Don’t you know nothin’?”

“Obviously not!” Sarah growled. “So, where are these so called ‘powers’ of mine?”

“How should I know?” Hoggle asked shrilly. “I’m just sayin’ that you’ve got to have some power ‘cause you were able to come back to Underground from your world and the only one who still had the ability to do that was Jareth. And since since he’s not around anymore, that means you got the power to do that.”

Sarah rubbed her forehead against the impending headache that loomed behind her eyes. “Okay, okay,” she conceded. “Let’s say what you’re saying is true, that when Jareth did granted me his love that it gave me certain magic powers. What good is the power to travel between my world and yours? How does it help us? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Think about it, Sarah. Jareth lost his power after you left. So, there’s gotta be some kind of connection,” Hoggle huffed.

“Maybe, you’re right.” Sarah wondered, feeling even more guilty about denying Jareth. “This just feels like this is one big puzzle and none of the pieces fit together. I don’t--”  A distant howl echoed in the distance, snapping their attention back to their current predicament.

“Now’s not the time to be solving a puzzle,” Hoggle whispered. “We gotta move.”

Sarah had no intention of arguing with him. She wasn’t sure she was ready for a rematch with the creature just yet. She continued to follow the path, turning down dark corridors and pathways with no semblance of direction or purpose. The ruin of the Labyrinth surrounded them ominously and Sarah couldn’t help but feel like they were in a tomb. It also didn’t help that the pain in her leg was steadily growing.

Just when she felt she couldn’t take anymore and was about to suggest a break, they came upon a heavily thicketed path of dead branches, vines and brush. Sarah peered down the path before pushing her way through the dense grove.

“No! No!” Hoggle cried, grabbing her shirt and pulling her back.

“What?” Sarah asked, confused. “Why not?’

“That’s the fairy thicket!” Hoggle muttered. “I hate fairies! Not even those damn Chimera go in there!”

“So,” Sarah reasoned. “If the Chimera won’t go in there, doesn’t that make it the perfect place to hide?”

Hoggle gave Sarah a vexed look. “Oh, fine!”

Sarah turned from Hoggle and began making her way through the dense thicket, keeping her arm raised in front of her so that she could avoid getting whipped in the face by stray branches. The path was dense and treacherous, filled with thorns and brambles that pulled viciously at her clothing and snagged her hair. Sarah began feeling extremely tired and increasingly feverish. She wanted nothing more than to sit down and rest, but she continued to fight her way through the mess of vines and branches inch by precious inch.

Sarah was aware that they were being watched as the mischievous fairies would titter in amusement when either she or Hoggle would trip and become entangled in a web of vine and bramble.

“Careful, Hoggle,” Sarah warned. “There’s a large vine there and--”

“Umph!” Hoggle cried out. “Yeah, I found it. Rotten piece of-- GA-AAH!!”

“What?!” Sarah yelped in dismay. “What is it?”

“Damn fairy bit me!” Hoggle grumbled hatefully.

Sarah breathed out in relief, struggling to suppress the wicked smile that tugged at her lips. “They’re probably just getting back at you for killing their friends.”

Hoggle grumbled a rude reply and resumed following Sarah through the never ending mess thistle and burr.

Sarah slowed, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as the little man inside her head pounded furiously to get out.

“Sarah, what’s wrong?” Hoggle asked concerned.

Sarah shook her head lightly, wiping the sweat from her brow. “Nothing, just a headache.” She murmured, internally commanding herself to keep moving.

“Just a little further,” Sarah muttered to herself for encouragement. “Just a few more steps.”

Suddenly, Sarah’s hand broken through the thicket and she was greeted to a clearing with a large, black tree surrounded by stone and dead grass. Sarah crawled out of the thicket and over to the tree, collapsing against it, utterly exhausted. She sighed heavily, thankful for the reprieve. A few fairies tittered at her presence. Sarah gazed up at the moonlit sky to see hundreds of fairies languidly buzzing about, illuminating the clearing with their light pleasantly.

“Pests!” Hoggle huffed as he saw Sarah admiring them. “The lot of ‘em. No good flying rats is what they are!”

“Why do you hate them so much?” Sarah asked, watching several pairs of pretty translucent wings flutter about her.

“They’re vile tricksters!” Hoggle said unhappily. “Winged rats. The only good thing about them is that they can kill a Chimera if the ugly beasts eat one.”

“Huh,” Sarah mused. “So that’s why they don’t come into the fairy thicket.” She wiped her brow again. Her skin felt like it was on fire.

“You don’t look so good,” Hoggle observed. “Are you feelin’ okay?”

Sarah shook her head, realizing that she needed to check her wound. She carefully pulled up her pant leg, tediously unbinding her makeshift bandage, As the bandage fell away from her leg, she stared in dumbfounded horror at her wound.

“Oh, no,” she whispered. Her leg had swollen considerably and the bite marks were now incredibly inflamed and ringed with purple and black streaks.

“What’s that?” Hoggle asked.

“The Chimera… it bit me,” Sarah confessed, her full attention focused on the putrefying wound.

“Cor!” Hoggle exclaimed. “Why didn’t you say somethin’?”

Sarah shook her head. “It wasn’t this bad.” She looked to Hoggle who wore a bleak expression. “What? What is it?”

“It’s bad now, Sarah. Real bad.” Hoggle said reluctantly.

Sarah nodded, scolding herself for not telling Hoggle about the bite sooner. “Okay, I understand. What do we need to do?” Sarah asked, fighting the fear that spiked through her tone.

“I don’t know,” Hoggle said, panic encroaching in his voice. “Maybe… um… maybe…” He shook his head miserably. Suddenly, Hoggle’s eye opened wide and flashed with hope. “Didymus might know! He’s fought hordes of Chimera and the old fox is still kicking.”

Sarah nodded in compliance, more than happy to give Sir Didymus a chance. “Okay, Sir Didymus. Where is he?”

“Where he always is, the bog of eternal stench,” Hoggle said, making a face. “Not even Euryale will go there!”

“Good,” Sarah said, taking in a deep breath and releasing it as she summoned her courage to stand. “Let’s go.” She struggled to her feet, bracing herself against the tree. As she placed weight on her leg, fire and glass ripped through her limb, causing her to gasp in shock and pain. Sarah fell hard to the ground, whimpering and groaning against the waves of relentless agony. Hoggle was at her side in an instant.

“Sarah?!” He shouted.

“I… I can’t. I can’t move,” Sarah cried, her leg throbbing with the remnants of stinging fire. “It feels like my leg is full of angry hornets. It hurts,” she groaned, burying her head in her arm and combating the onslaught of tears.

“Hold on, Sarah! I’ll go get Didymus. You wait right here! Don’t move!” Hoggle said hurriedly. He scampered off through the undergrowth. “I’ll be back! You just hold on!”

Sarah panted out her pain, groaning through clenched teeth. With considerable effort, she managed to roll herself onto her back. Sarah cried out at the jolt of pain that spiked electrically through her leg and body. She swallowed hard and let out a loud whimper, unable to steel herself against the pain any longer. After several moments, the throbbing subsided into a dull ache and Sarah was able to open her eyes and gaze up at the moon of Underworld. It reminded her of her own moon, but yet it was somehow very different.

Sarah concentrated on her breathing, sucking in long, deep breaths and letting them go slowly. Sarah was sure it wasn’t helping her cope with the pain, but it gave her something else to focus on rather than the burning venom that had replaced her blood. Eventually, the pain began to spread throughout her body. Sarah first felt it in her hips, rising fiercely up and through her abdomen and then spreading throughout her chest and arms. Her hands began to tingle and she was powerless against the sobs that erupted from her throat.

“Oh, God,” she cried, gasping against the pain. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly. This place, the new Underground was a terrible world and she longed for the days of Jareth. She let out a shuddered breath and attempted to soothe herself with memories of him. She remembered his face and his multi-colored eyes. She remembered the pull of his lips as he smiled at her in his own devilish way. She remembered his offers and she remembered his cruelty when she had rejected him over and over again. He hadn’t acted rationally when she had denied him. He hadn’t understood how to deal with her rejection. He wasn’t human, after all. She couldn’t blame him for not understanding that she was far too young to have known what he was offering her.

_Sarah, Beware. I have been generous up ‘til now, but I can be cruel._

“Generous,” Sarah recanted in her feverish state. “What have you done that’s generous?”

_Everything! Everything that you wanted, I have done. You asked for the child to be taken. I took him….I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you!_

Sarah’s breathing slowed, coming out in shallow pants. She opened her eyes to peek at the moon once again. Her vision began to blur and the colorful wings of the fairies that floated above her began to combine until they became the color of Jareth’s wonderful eyes gazing down upon her.

“Jareth,” she whispered deliriously to the fading sky. “I didn’t know. I didn’t understand. I couldn’t understand. Please, give me another chance. I can make it right. You wanted to show me my dreams, but I mistook you for the dream.” She swallowed, her head lulling to the side. Darkness began to creep in on her consciousness.

“Jareth, help me,” Sarah whispered. As her world began to fall away, a celestial being leaned over her, beautifully white and magnificent.

“Jareth?” Sarah asked as the figure leaned down into her. Then Sarah’s world fell away into darkness.


	5. As The World Falls Down

Sarah opened her eyes. She lay upon the stone floor of Jareth’s castle. She sat up, confused. She was certain that Hoggle had told her the castle had been burned down.

“Hello?” She called out, her voice echoing throughout the empty chamber. As her voice fell away, a heavy silence enveloped the room. Sarah shivered, she’d never felt so completely and utterly alone. Unsure of what to do, she stood and began walking towards the heavy doors of the throne room. As she stepped down, she was reminded of her wound and braced herself for the seething pain that was sure to follow. However, the pain never came. 

“What?” Sarah asked herself, crouching and gingerly prodding at her leg with her fingers.There was no discomfort caused by the gentle touch. She lifted her pant leg to reveal her smooth, uninjured calf. Her brow furrowed as she rubbed the skin of her leg. 

“What’s going on?” She wondered aloud, her gaze setting upon the double doors. She sighed. “Guess there’s only one way to find out,” she said to herself, standing up and pulling the immense doors open with no small amount of effort. 

She stepped out into the corridor and looked down each hallway, unsure of which way to go.

_ “Sarah…” _

The hair on the back of Sarah’s neck stood on end as the ghostly whisper tickled in her ear. Sarah flinched as she felt a presence slide over her. She was surprised, but somehow not completely unnerved by the unseen presence as it felt warm and distinctly familiar. Her attention was inexplicably drawn down the right corridor. Like the Labyrinth, the hallways and corridors of Jareth’s castle were foreign to her and Sarah was uncertain of which path to take. In the end, she was led only by a slight sense of urgency that seemed to grow each time she turned down a certain path. The feeling became stronger, urging to move faster until she was nearly running down the long hallways.

Sarah stopped abruptly as she came to a stairwell that twisted and ascended higher than her eyes could see.

“ _ Sarah… _ ” the ethereal voice entreated again, only stronger.

Sarah’s skipped a beat as she recognized the voice. “Jareth?” She whispered. “Jareth! Is that you?” She called out desperately. “Where are you?”

The ghostly presence seemed to glide over Sarah again, willing her up the stairwell. Without hesitation, Sarah bounded up the stairs, taking two at a time.

“I’m coming!’ Sarah shouted, her footfalls echoing sharply against the stone wall. A doorway loomed in sight and with renewed resolve, Sarah ran for it.

As she shot through the door, she screamed as the ground fell out from under her. Sarah clawed the air wildly, making a grab for the ledge that fell further away from her. She landed hard on her side and shoulder, the air rushing painfully out of her lungs. She groaned in pain, pulling her legs up to her chest in the fetal position as she sucked in air through clenched teeth.

“ _ Sarah,”  _ the voice called out again. “ _ Help me.” _

Sarah winced, pulling in a sharp breath as she struggled to sit up. The voice that called out to her was Jareth’s, but it was different. It was very weak and suffering. He needed help fast. Sarah willed herself to her feet, holding her ribs as she stood.

“Where are you?” She called out again weakly, searching the room in which she had fallen into. Sarah gazed in amazement as she realized she was in the stair room where she had begun to make her final stand against Jareth.

“The Escher Room,” she mumbled to herself, feeling as if she’d been thrown back in time. It looked exactly how she remembered it. “It’s about time something looked familiar,” she griped to herself, walking cautiously through another doorway before walking down the twisted stairs. Sarah continued through the maze of stairs and dimensions, growling in frustration each time she ended up higher than she meant to be even though she was going down the stairs instead of up. 

“Help me help you!” Sarah cried out in exasperation as she came to a ledge with no stairs at the highest level of the room. As if in answer to her plea, the ethereal body passed over her again and drew Sarah closer to the side of the ledge. Sarah crouched on her hands and knees, warily peering over the edge of the path. A reflection of her own face greeted her. Sarah gasped in surprise as she scrutinized the reflection. It appeared almost as if she were gazing down into a wishing well. Sarah reached for her reflection, her hand passing through it as it rippled and distorted from the intrusion. Sarah withdrew her hand and her reflection once again became solid, peering back up at her with confusion. 

“It’s not water,” Sarah muttered, watching her lips move. Suddenly, her reflection turned from her and she could see her own reflection peering down over the ledge and into the wishing well. After a moment, her reflection stood and stepped off the ledge.

“No!” Sarah cried, innately reaching for herself. The well rippled again and returned to normal, her shocked and frightened face once again peering back at her.

“ _ Sarah…”  _ Jareth’s voice called through the portal, this time much louder. Sarah bit her lip. She knew what she had to do, but could not shake the sense of dread that rose steadily within her.

Sarah stood, clenching her fists together rapidly. “It’s just like a leap of faith,” she assured herself with her eyes closed. “Just a leap of faith.” Sarah took in a deep controlled breath and let it out slowly as she stepped over the edge and into her rippling reflection.

Sarah felt herself falling through the universe, the moon and stars racing past her at wondrous speeds. She was surrounded by darkness and stardust, but despite the rapid descent, Sarah felt safe, shielded by some unseen force of magic that protected her as she fell. As she thought this, light suddenly erupted through the veil of stars and darkness revealing that she was encased in a bubble that lowered her gently down. It alighted on the ground and broke into a shimmering rainbow of colors and sparkles around Sarah. She stood in awe of her magical ride and wondered how it was at all possible. Sarah gazed around herself and noticed that she was in ruins much like the ones she’d seen in the Labyrinth with Hoggle. Except these ruins were suspended on a floating desert island in the middle of space and time. Sarah’s mind couldn’t even begin to comprehend the wonders she saw. Distantly, they reminded her of the last time she saw Jareth. As she turned to scan the ruins, she saw what she could only describe to herself as a portal. It was framed between two pristine ivory pillars. The air between the portals was dark, swirling and crackling with life. It reminded Sarah of an oncoming thunderstorm.

Determined to find out what lie beyond the thundercloud, Sarah approached the portal. Hesitantly, she placed her hand through the cloud and retracted it. She gazed at her hand expectantly. It was perfectly fine and completely intact. Warily, Sarah stepped through the portal and out into a grand, elegant throne room. Sarah’s mouth dropped open in awe as the room sparkled with gold and jeweled adorned walls and pillars. Sarah looked down to see she was standing atop an immense set of granite stairs. Beautiful gold and deep blue veins ran strikingly within the stones depth. The thundercloud portal continued to twist and turn soundlessly behind her. Sarah gazed down the path of granite stone steps to a great throne that sat in the middle of the room. It looked as if it had been carved for the gods themselves. It was as black as the midnight sky, carved from beautiful volcanic glass, reflecting everything and nothing at the same time. Thick, plush cushions of deep purple with gold embroidery and tassels adorned the throne. In that moment, Sarah realized that this was Jareth’s real throne room, buried deep within the catacombs underneath the Labyrinth. The castle in the Goblin City was merely a decoy. 

Sarah’s eyes cast about the room in awe and wonder until they landed on a small figure knelt in front of the throne. Sarah’s breath caught in her throat as she recognized him almost instantly. She’d done it. She had finally found the Goblin King.

He knelt on his knees, his hands bound behind his back by heavy silver chain. His head was bowed in defeat and exhaustion.

“Jareth!” Sarah breathed, flying down the stairs recklessly to him. She dropped to her own knees as she approached him, cradling his face in her hands gently. “Wake up!” She panted. “Look at me. Look at me!”

The goblin king’s eyes remained closed. His face was slack and dark ominous circles colored the skin under his eyes. His flesh next to her hands was pale and cold. Sarah saw that he was thinner than before and his open shirt revealed twisted and raised purple scars from lashes he’d taken. She hugged him tightly, stifling a sob that racked through her body. She saw his hands, withered and bruised from the shackles. She pulled away, grasping his face once again as she ran her fingers over his cheeks and forehead, brushing his hair aside.

“Come on, Jareth,” she urged, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Open your eyes. Please look at me. Please.”

Jareth stirred under her touch, slightly raising his face to hers and opening his eyes. His fantastically multi-colored eyes gleamed with confusion as he stared into her face.

“It can’t be,” he whispered weakly. “I’ve grown mad.”

“No!” Sarah assured, stroking his cheek. “It’s me. It’s Sarah. I’ve come back.”

“Never,” Jareth said. “She’d never come back to me.”

“But I did!” Sarah soothed. “I’m here. Can’t you see? I’ve come back to you.”

“You ensnared my heart,” Jareth muttered. “And left me broken.”

“Jareth,” Sarah said, her heart breaking for the tortured king. “I’m sorry. I’m here. I want to make you whole again.”

“Tricks,” Jareth said, shaking his head and pulling away. “Deceit and lies.” He scoffed lightly. “How you turn my world...”

Sarah leaned into the goblin king as he rambled, her lips delicately brushing over his. He gasped against the touch of her mouth against his, pulling back slightly and hesitating before returning her kiss fiercely. His mouth melded against hers, desperate and hungry for her affection. She pressed her body into his, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and neck deepening the kiss. He sucked mercilessly on her tongue and bottom lip as their breaths quickened with the rising of their passion. Jareth moaned emphatically against her mouth, yearning for more.

Sarah finally broke the kiss, gasping. Her lips and tongue tingling from the savage and passionate kiss Jareth had given her.

Jareth gazed at her with an extraordinarily predatory stare, his lips parted as he panted from the exertion of the kiss as well.

“It is you,” he whispered, as if trying to convince himself of her presence despite the kiss. “It seems my dying wish has been granted.” A bittersweet, wicked smile formed on his mouth, his face and eyes shining with incandescent pleasure.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Sarah argued. “Not if I have anything to say about it.” She returned his mischievous smile, her forefinger brushing lightly over his lips. He kissed her finger as it trailed his skin. He was even more beautiful than she remembered despite the hardships he’d endured.

“I am so sorry,” Sarah said wholeheartedly. “I never should’ve left. I didn’t know what you were offering me.” The tears of her regret began to fall from her eyes. “I was too young to understand.”

Jareth struggled against the chains that bound him, wanting to reach for Sarah, wanting to touch her, needing to touch her

“I must touch you,” Jareth growled, struggling vainly against the restraints he’d fought against so many times before.

“Please, don’t hurt yourself!” Sarah gasped, holding his arms at his side. Jareth sighed, resigning himself. He pressed his forehead heavily against hers.

“Dear Sarah, I’m fading,” he confessed.

“What do you mean?” Sarah asked, fear spiking through her voice.

Jareth gazed at her, exhausted by the encounter. Her eyes pleaded with him and he saw in the depths of them the love he’d so ardently struggled for all those years ago. Only now, it was too late.

“There’s such a sad love, deep in your eyes,” he whispered. It was the song he’d sang to her at the masquerade ball. How he’d wished and longed for those words to be true. Now, after all this time, they finally were. 

“What?” Sarah asked, concerned. Jareth slumped against her, his strength rapidly waning. “Jareth! What can I do? How do I save you?” Sarah cried.

“Your magic,” Jareth whispered. “It sustains me.”

Sarah shook her head. “I have no magic. Only the magic you granted me.”

Jareth chuckled, barely on the edge of consciousness. “Sweet, Sarah, how can you not know?”

“Know what?” Sarah asked.

Jareth’s lips ran across her cheek, tangible and sweet. She longed for another kiss from his wonderful mouth.

“My precious thing,” he muttered almost incoherently. “I am too weak to keep this magic.”

“What are you talking about?” Sarah asked, dismayed.

“I...I can’t live within you…” He gasped as his lips trailed to hers, caressing her in a featherlight kiss. “Live without your sunlight. Love without your heartbeat.”

“Oh, Jareth,” Sarah uttered, her heart withering in contempt at her adolescent foolishness. She could almost feel him dying. She kissed him back sweetly and he smiled against her touch.

“Oh, I do believe in you,” Jareth mumbled. He closed his eyes, swaying on his knees. “Find my pendant. It is the key,” he said distantly. His head lulled and then dropped to his chest and he was deathly quiet. It appeared as if he were in a deep sleep.

“Your pendant? The key to what? Jareth!” Sarah cried out in panic, cradling his face again. Jareth remained still, the only indication of life was the steady rise and fall of his chest. Sarah collapsed against him, holding him tightly, unsure of how to proceed. Her world was falling down around her.

“So,” came a distant, slithering voice. “You’re the one. The mortal girl who has come to save her precious Goblin King.”

Shocked by the presence of another, Sarah jumped up and turned to face the voice. A figure with indiscernible features stood at the top of the stairs, cloaked by the darkness of the portal. 

“Who are you?” Sarah demanded angrily.

“I am the rightful ruler of the Labyrinth,” the slithery voice answered. “I am the Gorgon Queen.”

“Euryale,” Sarah spat. She pointed to Jareth. “I demand that you release him at once!”

The sound that filled the air sent a chill down Sarah’s spine. The Gorgon Queen laughed wickedly at Sarah’s ultimatum. Only, it wasn’t a normal laugh. It reminded Sarah of a pit of angry snakes hissing and slithering. It was something very frightening and very deadly.

“You dare to command me?” Euryale derided. She descended the stairs and Sarah felt her resolve falter as her eyes strayed across the frightful creature that appeared before her. Euryale  was much too tall and slender, her body curving as it would if she were truly a snake. Her face was that of a human female, but elongated. Her mouth pulled into a perpetual sneer, revealing rows of large, sharp teeth. Her jaw was adorned with two large, yellow tusks which jutted sharply past her chin. Her green skin shown with scales as they reflected the light and her black, stringy hair actually  _ writhed _ with live snakes. Sarah gawked at the unholy monster.

“Sarah,” Euryale hissed. Sarah shuddered, hating the sound of her name from such a vile creature. “Return to your world,” Euryale taunted. “There’s nothing left for you here. The Labyrinth belongs to me.”

Sarah took a step forward, begrudgingly leaving Jareth behind her. “The Labyrinth doesn’t belong to you. It’s in a state entropy. It’s dying. You’re a fool to think you can control it. You have no power here.”

Euryale stepped even closer Sarah. “And you do, little mortal? You’re no match for me.”

Sarah stared down Euryale, refusing to give any ground. “I have defeated this Labyrinth before and I will again.” Sarah glared at the unholy creature. “Just as I will defeat you.”

Euryale struck fast, coming up to Sarah. Before Sarah could react, Euryale’s clawed hand grasped Sarah’s throat tightly. Sarah thrashed against Euryale, but the creature didn’t seem phased by her struggles. Euryale stared at Sarah with the mesmerizing golden depths of her slit snake eyes.

“We shall see…” Euryale hissed, her forked tongue darting out and sliding slowly up Sarah’s cheek.

Sarah fought the urge with every fiber of her being only to fail as the venomous tongue cut deep into her skin. She began to scream. 


	6. Makes No Sense For You

Sarah sat up with a jolt, the screams of terror dying in her throat. Strong sunlight filtered down through the dense and lush foliage. Sarah’s mouth hung open in confusion as she stared at the magnificence of life that surrounded her. Myriads of fairies hung in vines, branches and leaves, tittering at her shock.

“But…” Sarah gawked, realizing that she was back in the fairy thicket. “I don’t understand. I was there. I was  _ with _ him!” Sarah’s head pounded and she was dizzy with questions. She grabbed the sides of her head and groaned unhappily, pressing her palms tightly against her temples.

The fairies giggled at her frustration and buzzed annoyingly around her.

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” Sarah spat, weary of their oppressive presence. As if in response to her complaint, a fairy pulled lightly at her hair.

“Hey!” Sarah growled, jumping to her feet in anger. Sarah’s leg complained stiffly under her weight and she inhaled sharply through her teeth, having forgotten once again about the wound on her leg. She waited for the pain to come, but as before, it never did. 

“What in the world?” Hesitantly, Sarah stooped down, rolling up her pant leg to see her wound had been bandaged with lime green leaves. It no longer radiated pain and the swelling had subsided. Sarah touched her forehead. Her fever was gone, but the hellish headache remained.

Sarah shook her head, unable to grasp what had happened. “But it was… it was so real,” she murmured. “It can’t have been a dream.”

It occurred to Sarah that someone had tended to her wounds in her delirious state. She searched the dense, green clearing for Hoggle and Sir Didymus, but they were nowhere in sight. The only thing around Sarah, other than the jungle of the thicket, were hordes of amused fairies. 

Sarah studied the new life of the thicket that seemed to radiate and pulse with life all around her. She reached out and touched the tree she stood near. The bark felt moist and healthy under her fingers. She slid her hand up the tree and to a plump green leaf. A curious fairy occupied the leaf and refused to leave as Sarah’s fingers trailed over the soft, green texture of the plant. The small fairy bared her teeth and hissed, warning Sarah not to draw any closer. Sarah slowly withdrew her exploring hand.

“Everything was dead last night,” Sarah muttered to herself. “What’s going on here?” She sifted through her memories, recalling how she and Hoggle had stumbled into the fairy thicket. She remembered how she’d grown feverish and incoherent as Hoggle set off to find help. She also remembered staring up at the sky and thinking of Jareth just before she the fever overtook her. Then she’d woken up in Jareth’s castle. She recalled seeing him, touching him,  _ tasting _ him! Sarah pressed two fingers to her lips. They tingled at the memory of his kiss. It had been so real, how could she have possibly imagined it?

“It couldn’t have been a dream, could it?” She wondered aloud as her fingers absent mindedly played over her lips. Fear began to blossom deep within her mind as she worried that the event truly was a dream conjured by her delusional state. She closed her eyes, close to tears, her hands frantically massaging her temples once again as doubt overshadowed her certainty. “Oh, no. Please tell me it wasn’t just a dream.”

“It wasn’t,” a soft, melodic voice answered. Sarah dropped her hands and quickly surveyed the area.

“What? Who said that?” She inquired. “Please, show yourself!”

A rustling to her right drew Sarah’s attention. She turned in time to see a delicate woman emerge from the foliage. Sarah gawked at the magnificent creature that appeared to almost materialize in front of her. To Sarah, she appeared as a woman, but none like she had ever beheld before. She was very much a Fei creature, a fairy at that, her hair so brilliantly blonde that it nearly appeared white. Her eyes were a crystalline blue and almost appeared as large as her face. Even though she had the body of a young woman, her face retained the innocence and aspect of a mere child. She was dressed in a soft blue gown that hung in light layers against her body. Sarah admired in awe and wonder the beautiful, clear wings that rose from the fairy’s back. They fluttered gently, catching stray rays of sunlight, and as they did, a rainbow prism rippled through them. Sarah had never imagined something so beautiful could exist in the entire world. 

“Oh!” Sarah choked out unceremoniously. She was at a total loss for words. The lovely fairy before her had stolen them away. 

The fairy woman smiled, her childlike face lighting up happily. “Hello, Sarah,” she greeted in the same soft melodic tone. 

Sarah blinked several times, feeling as if the spell that had been placed on her had dissipated. “I… I’m sorry. Do you know me?”

The fairy nodded. “I know many things about you, Sarah.” She said softly. “Things you do not even know of yourself.”

“Wha-what do you mean?” Sarah stuttered. “Who are you?”

“Forgive me,” the fairy said. “You are in pain and I have not properly introduced myself. I am Titania, Queen of the fairies.” 

“Titania?” Sarah echoed, a distant memory surfacing through the haze that had settled on her brain. “Shakespeare,” Sarah muttered. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” 

“Ah, yes, William,” Titania sighed happily, lost in reverie. “He was part Fae. I knew him before he decided to embrace a mortal life and live among humans.”

Sarah gawked at Titania. “You’re joking!” She exclaimed.

“I assure you, I do not jest,” Titania answered seriously. “There are many out there who are part Fae living amidst the mortals in your world. Some of them are products of generations upon generations past, but Fae blood still runs dormant within their veins. Only when there is an awakening of that blood do they have a decision whether to come and live in Underground as long lived Fae creatures or remain with the humans as mortal beings.” 

Sarah listened to Titania, fascinated by her story. It thrilled Sarah to think that some of the greatest minds in her world were part Fae. 

“That’s incredible!” Sarah mused loudly, only to hiss in pain as her head pounded in retaliation at the excited outburst. She pressed her hand firmly against her forehead, hoping to alleviate the throbbing.

Titania held out her hand and almost instantly, three fairies came hauling a large, brilliant orange flower and set it gently in her grasp. Titania brought the flower close to her face and inhaled deeply. An appreciative smile rose to her lips.

“Nectar of the Dyesia blossom,” Titania explained, offering the flower to Sarah. “Drink it. It will soothe the pain.”

Sarah furrowed her brow, warily taking the flower from Titania’s hand. She gazed down into the flower, seeing the thick, amber nectar floating inside the cupped petals. She inhaled as Titania did. The scent reminded Sarah of peaches. Sarah bit her lip, indecisiveness overtaking her. She remembered what had happened last time she’d eaten a peach in the Labyrinth.

Titania sensed Sarah’s reservations. “I assure you, this is not a trick. It is merely to aid in your recovery. The venom of a Chimera bite is almost always fatal. Though, your ailments from that have been cured. What you experience now is something completely different.”

“I don’t understand,” Sarah said, shaking her head.

“Drink,” Titania encouraged. “You will feel better, I promise.”

Sarah couldn’t explain it, but for some reason, she trusted Titania. After a final hesitation, Sarah swallowed the nectar of the flower. Almost instantly, Sarah’s headache began to subside and her thoughts cleared. Relief washed throughout her body and her muscles relaxed. Sarah felt as if she’d just had a long massage.

“Thank you,” Sarah said genuinely.

Titania smiled. “My pleasure, but it is you I have to thank.”

“For what?” Sarah asked, confused.

“For this,” Titania announced, gesturing to the lush green foliage encompassing them. “For bringing my garden back to life.”

Sarah shook her head. “But I didn’t do this.”

Titania tilted her head slightly, appraising Sarah. “Hm, you have yet to discover your true potential. Do not fret, that knowledge will come in due time.”

“Wha- I- You-” Sarah stammered incoherently, unable to properly form a question from the thousands that stormed rampantly throughout her mind.

“How does your leg fair?” Titania interrupted before Sarah could vocalize a rational question.

“Oh!” Sarah quipped, realizing that Titania was dodging her unspoken questions. “It feels much better. Was it you who helped me?”

Titania nodded. “Yes, it was. The venom of a Chimera cannot harm myself or my fairies. We are immune to such insidious creatures and in fact, life threatening to them. Our blood is their poison and therefore, the cure to theirs.”

Sarah blinked several times before noticing that Titania’s left hand was also bandaged with lime green leaves. Sarah realized she must have used her own blood to cure Sarah’s affliction.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” Sarah started. “I appreciate your help very much.”

“Do not be deceived,” Titania started. “It was not out of the kindness of my Fae heart that I came to cure you.”

“Really?” Sarah replied. “So, that means you want something from me?”

Titania smirked. “Indeed. You are quite perceptive.”

Sarah nodded, getting down to business. “What is it that you require of me?”

“It is true that this is no easy task I ask of you,” Titania stated. “But it is also true that you are the only one who can complete such a task, regardless of the arduous journey and the peril it brings.”

Sarah’s arms pricked anxiously and she cringed at the implication of Titania’s words.

“I implore you,” Titania continued. “Not just for the sake of my people, but for the sake of the Labyrinth and all life within its walls, to seek out the evil Queen Euryale and strike her down. Return power to the Goblin King so that he may once again rule over the Labyrinth.”

Sarah scoffed, unable to keep her composure. “Oh, really? Is that all? Oh, well, no problem. I mean, she only commands legions of venomous, fire breathing creatures. How how hard could it be?!” 

“I know this request seems to be an impossible task, but I assure you that you have the power to defeat the Gorgon Queen,” Titania argued.

“What power?” Sarah asked shrilly. “I have no power here!”

“Oh, but you do, child,” Titania soothed. “You have more power than you realize.”

“I don’t understand!” Sarah whined. “Please, tell me something! Stop speaking in half truths and riddles.”

Titania sighed heavily, a look of uncertainty crossing her features. “The Goblin King, you saw him last night?”   
“I...I dreamed I saw him,” Sarah confessed.

“That was no dream,” Titania revealed. “You transported your ethereal self to him, leaving your physical body behind while I tended your wounds.”

“How did I do that?” Sarah asked, bemused. “I didn’t even know I could.”

“You think too much,” Titania answered matter of factly. “In your weakened state, you merely thought of him, desired him, and therefore were with him. Your thoughts hinder your abilities. Your humanity stifles your magic.”

“The magic Jareth gave me?” Sarah asked.

Titania pursed her lips. “Jareth’s powers had all but abandoned him as time passed. He has very little power left, only enough to sustain his immortal status. Once his powers are broken, Euryale can cast him to stone.”

“That’s why she hasn’t done it yet?” Sarah exclaimed. “Because she can’t?”

“As long as he has some magic remaining, he is protected from her stone gaze,” Titania explained. “But he grows weaker every day. However, when you are near, he draws strength from you. It is you, Sarah, the product of his damnation that will serve as his salvation.” 

“He said he was too weak to keep this magic,” Sarah muttered, guilt rippling through her in relentless waves. “What does that mean?”

Titania’s blue eyes burned. “It means you must free him from his confinement and banish this wickedness that has infected the Labyrinth before his time is up.”

“But how?” Sarah asked, desperation laden in her tone. “I’m powerless to stop such evil!”

Titania chuckled lightly. “Your power is greater than you could ever imagine. Do you not see what your presence has done already? Just yesterday, these vines were shriveled and dead.” She gestured with her open hand to the vibrant green vines and leaves. The lively lichen followed her gestures as she pointed to flowers and tree blossoms. “You are bringing life back to the Labyrinth. It is you who is delivering the Labyrinth from death and chaos. Do you not understand what this means?”

Sarah shook her head, unsure of what Titania expected her to say.

“You are healing the Labyrinth!” Titania announced triumphantly. “You are the Keeper.” 

“The Keeper?” Sarah asked, astonished. “What do you mean?”

Titania drifted closer to Sarah, threading her hand and fingers into Sarah’s. Unnerved, Sarah watched Titania cautiously. “Jareth would like the inhabitants of Underground to believe that he created the Labyrinth himself. This is not true. I, like my fairies, were born of the Labyrinth at its creation countless millennia ago. The Keepers were the ones who tended the Labyrinth, watching it grow, keeping it strong and alive.” Titania squeezed Sarah’s hand gently. “The Keepers became part of the Labyrinth over time, disappearing one by one until none remained. Many Fae tried to tame the wild nature of the Labyrinth, but all failed. The Labyrinth fell into decay and destruction until Jareth came. Only the Goblin King had the power to control the expanse of the Labyrinth,” Titania explained. “However, this took a great deal of his power, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. No one ever found their way through the Labyrinth without his guidance. That is, until you came along.” Titania said, looking proudly into Sarah’s eyes. “You, my dear, entered the Labyrinth and navigated through its hardships with relative ease and found your way to the Goblin City at the center.”

“I just got lucky!” Sarah contended. “There were so many times when I ended up in trouble and needed rescuing.”

“That was only because of Jareth’s interference. He could not concede that you were navigating his Labyrinth and winning his game,” Titania retorted. “As you may have guessed, the Labyrinth itself is alive. It is home to many creatures, including myself and my fairies and even though we are part of the Labyrinth and the life it exudes, we are not the masters of it.” Her gaze set pointedly on Sarah. “Only you can control the Labyrinth and save it from utter destruction. Only you can drive out the evil that threatens us all.”

Sarah swallowed hard. “I don’t understand. Why me? Why do you think I’m the Keeper?”

Titania smiled. “Some answers can be given while others must be sought.”

Before Sarah could comment on the riddle, she heard the grunts and growls of her very angry dwarven friend.

“Doh-ow! Blasted fairy!!” He grumbled bitterly.

“Now, see here, my friend. If you merely given them room, the fairies will not harm--OW!” Sir Didymus screeched. “Why, you tricky little sneak!”

“Humph, you were saying?” Hoggle asked snidely.

“It matters not,” Sir Didymus replied. “What matters is that we get to the fair maiden before the poison renders her lifeless!”

Sarah turned to the sound of their approach, Titania still grasping her hand firmly. Moments later, Hoggle and Sir Didymus, who was literally dragging an uncooperative Ambrosius, emerged through the thick foliage. 

“Hoggle!” Sarah cried out happily. “Sir Didymus!”

“Sarah!” Hoggle shouted, tripping as he lunged forward, unaware a vine had snagged his leg. He fell to the ground hard, swearing and kicking at the vine that entangled him. 

“Milady!” Sir Didymus exclaimed, hopping over a downed Hoggle and running towards Sarah. He stopped short, gasping at the sight of Titania.

“Blessed Queen!” Sir Didymus gasped, bowing deeply.

“What’re you goin’ on about?” Hoggle griped as he caught up to Sir Didymus. You don’t gotta...Whoa…” Hoggle muttered, shocked as his eyes focused on Titania.

“Honorable Sir Didymus, arise,” Titania said sweetly. She turned to Hoggle, a sneer of disgust crossing her childlike features. “Hogface,” she added coldly.

“Ho---Ho--ggle…” Hoggle replied, slack jawed. Suddenly, Hoggle threw himself down on the ground at Titania’s feet, impressively displaying his groveling skills. “Oh, your majesty! Please forgive a lame, lowly dwarf. I’m but a simple fool begging for your undeserved mercy.”

Titania gazed contemptuously at Hoggle. “Yes, you are a fool. If it were up to me, you would pay dearly for every fairy life you so callously ended. However, there are more pressing matters to attend to than your conduct towards my children.” She pulled Sarah forward, finally releasing her hand. “Your friend has been awaiting your return.”

Hoggle chanced a look up at Titania and then glanced at Sarah.

“I got back as quick as I could!” Hoggle explained. “But you don’t look like you need help no more.”

“Titania was kind enough to heal me,” Sarah told him. “She saved my life.”

“And you look quite well and might I add quite lovely, milady,” Sir Didymus chimed in. “It’s been an awfully long time.”

Sarah smiled, bending down and embracing the brave old fox. “Yes, too long.”

“Welcome back,” Sir Didymus said softly, squeezing Sarah tightly.

“It’s nice to be back,” Sarah said genuinely.

She looked over to see Hoggle kicking uncomfortably at the dirt. 

“I, uh, um, well, just wanna say thank you for saving Sarah,” Hoggle said to Titania. “It was awful kind of you. You have my gratitude.”

Titania sneered at Hoggle and Sarah shot her a pleading look, trying to convey leniency. Titania sighed, turning to Hoggle.

“She is important to us all,” Titania stated stiffly. “She is the only hope we have of returning the Labyrinth to the way it was.”

“How’s she gonna do that?” Hoggle inquired. “Jareth’s gone.”

“No, he’s not!” Sarah declared happily. “I saw him.”

Hoggle and Sir Didymus both gazed incredulously at Sarah.

“How did you manage that, milady?” Sir Didymus asked. 

“I...I can’t really explain it,” Sarah started. “It was like a dream, but it felt real. It was like…”  _ The masquerade ball _ , her mind finished. “It was like we were sharing the same dream, but I was in his nightmare.”

Hoggle stared open mouthed at Sarah. “So, he’s not turned to stone?”

Sarah shook her head. “According to Titania, as long as he has magic left, Euryale cannot turn him to stone.”

Hoggle eyed Titania. “How do you know this?”

“I have eyes and ears all over the Labyrinth,” Titania answered brusquely. “The lichen report to me and so do my fairies. You cannot turn to stone those who command it.”

Once again, Sarah found herself wrapped up in another of Titania’s riddles.    
“Did you bear witness to the foul witch, milady?” Sir Didymus inquired.

Sarah nodded, shuddering at the memory of Euryale. “Yes, I saw her. She’s the very thing from which nightmares are forged.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Sir Didymus replied.

“We have to stop her,” Sarah announced, looking between her companions. “I have to rescue Jareth, but it won’t be easy and the journey ahead is wrought with unfathomable horrors and unimaginable danger. I won’t ask you to risk your lives for me, so if you want to stay behind, I’ll understand.”

“Perish the thought!” Sir Didymus scoffed. “Fear not, fair maiden, for I am with thee. Right, Ambrosius? Ambrosius? Get back here, you cowardly steed!” Sir Didymus cried, grabbing Ambrosius’ tail as he tried to dive back into the thick foliage.

Sarah suppressed a smile, gazing at Hoggle. “What about you, Hoggle?”

“Cor! You’re crazy, it’s suicide!” Hoggle huffed. “Dumbest damned thing I ever heard.” Hoggle sighed deeply. “But I’m with ya, Sarah. All the way.”

Sarah bent down, hugging her reluctant friend. “Thank you, Hoggle.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Hoggle grumbled. “Just how’re we supposed to take down Euryale anyway?”

“Jareth told me to find his pendant,” Sarah said. “He said it was the key.”

“The key?” Hoggle asked. “The key to what?”   
“I don’t know,” Sarah confessed. “But it seemed important.”

“His crescent pendant?” Titania inquired. “He was not wearing it?”

“No,” Sarah said. “In my… vision… he didn’t have it on. He must’ve hidden it somewhere within the Labyrinth.”   
Titania tilted her head. “Hm, clever. There may be hope after all.”

“What do you mean?” Sarah asked, fearing the answer would only be mired in another riddle.

“Like all Fae, Jareth was born with powers he called his own,” Titania explained. “However, his powers alone were not enough to control the Labyrinth. It is rumored that Jareth acquired the pendant which amplified his power, granting him additional magic so that he could maintain control over the Labyrinth.”

Sarah appraised Titania. She looked as if she was withholding something. “There’s more to it than that,” Sarah remarked.

Titania smirked. “You have a keen eye. There are others who believe the pendant is not a mere amplifier of magic, but embodies a different kind of power.”

“What power would that be?” Sarah asked.

Titania held Sarah’s gaze. “The kind of power that can be dangerous. It is only speculation and hearsay, of course, but it was rumored that Jareth sought out the power of the pendant after he left the lovers embrace of a powerful Sorceress.”

“Mizumi,” Sarah grumbled spitefully. Titania shot Sarah an undiluted look of sheer surprise.

“Yes, Mizumi,” she acknowledged. “It has been whispered that their union was doomed because the Goblin King felt the Sorceress to be far too narcissistic.”

Hoggle laughed out loud and Titania glared wickedly at him. Hoggle cleared his throat and shifted his gaze to the ground.

Titania continued. “Rumor speculates that Mizumi vowed to win his love again by any means necessary, despite what Jareth wanted. It was a threat not to be taken lightly by such a powerful Sorceress. After this, it is said that Jareth sought out the ancient pendant and performed a ritual which shielded his heart from love.”

“Thus shielding him from the wiles of Mizumi,” Sarah surmised.

Titania nodded. “Correct. This also strengthened his inherent powers.” Her expression darkened and she shook her head. “But it was folly on his part. It is well known that magic of this kind never comes without a dire price. It is said that if Jareth were to ever fall in love again and that love was not returned, his powers would fail him. Then, little by little, they would disappear until he became nothing more than mortal flesh and blood.”

Sarah closed her eyes, once again painfully aware that she was to blame for the state of entropy the Labyrinth found itself. She was the reason for all the hardships that had come to pass.

“So, you think he hid the pendant because if Gorgon Queen found it, she could quite possibly perform the same kind of ritual he had and become even more powerful than she is now?” Sarah speculated.

Titania shrugged. “It is only a conjecture on my part, but yes, I believe that is her intent. That is why you must find the pendant first.”

“Okay, say I find the pendant and through some kind of miracle, return it to Jareth, do you think he will have enough power to banish Euryale?” Sarah asked hopefully.

Titania’s wide blue eyes met Sarah’s. “No.” She said resolutely. “His connection to the pendant has been severed. It has been ever since you rejected his love.”

“Then what good is it to us?” Sarah asked shrilly. “If he can’t use it to banish Euryale, then why should we even search for it? Won’t we just end up leading Euryale to it instead?”

“Because, my dear mortal one, he never intended to use the pendant for himself. He intended it to be for you.” Titania countered.

“You’ve gotta be joking!” Sarah shouted, throwing her hands up in the air. “What am I supposed to do with it?”

“Simple,” Titania answered. “You return power to the pendant and restore order to the Labyrinth.”

“Oh, yeah, real simple!” Sarah derided. “I don’t even know what these powers you keep telling me I have are yet and now I’m supposed to return magic to some ancient pendant that curses you when things don’t go as planned?” Sarah ranted. She groaned, dropping her face into hands, feeling defeated. “This… this is all too much. Just tell me, do you know how I’m supposed to return power to the pendant?”

“As I said before,” Titania chastised. “Some answers can be given, others…”

“Must be sought,” Sarah grumbled. “Yeah, yeah, I remember.” She sighed heavily. “Can you at least tell me where to go next? I don’t even know where to begin searching.”

“That I can most definitely tell you,” Titania said gleefully, a wicked smile spreading across her child-like face. “But you won’t like it.”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” Hoggle muttered.

Sarah agreed wholeheartedly with Hoggle, but had no other recourse. “Where?” Sarah asked reluctantly.

Titania’s eyes twinkled with merriment. “The Fireys.”


	7. Choosing The Path

Sarah’s blood ran cold as her memories rushed chaotically through her mind.

“No, no, no, not those horrible things! They’re crazy! They tried to tear my head off!” Sarah shouted emphatically.

Titania’s amusement didn’t fade. “That does seem to be the game they are fond of playing.”

“Fear not, fair maiden, for I shall protect you from such nightmarish fiends!” Sir Didymus announced, slashing his spear for embellishment.

Sarah shook her head and gazed pitifully at Titania. “You can’t be serious.”

“I do not jest,” Titania replied coolly. “Especially in dire times such as this.”

Sarah chewed on her lip. “Is there no other way?”

Titania shook her head. “You need allies in this fight. Though the Fireys are ghastly and dangerous, they see and hear things others do not. If Jareth has hidden his pendant within the boundaries of the Labyrinth, they may know.”

“Why don’t you know?” Hoggle interrupted. “Seems like you know everything.”

Titania’s blue eyes darkened as her glare set upon Hoggle. Her small mouth twisted into an ugly sneer. “Do you believe you are the only one beset by the fallout of Euryale’s wrath? The lichen vines and my fairy children have long been my eyes and ears. When the Labyrinth began to decay, my reach diminished and my sight became veiled. I am as much in the dark as you are now.”

Hoggle nodded, noticeably abashed.

Sarah sighed, resigning herself to the inevitable journey ahead. “Okay, if you think they can help us, then I’ll go. I don’t suppose you can you come with us?” Sarah asked hopefully.

Titania slowly shook her head. “I am saddened to say that I must stay under the guard of my fairies. For if I were to perish, they would all meet the same fate.” She raised her hand and delicately caressed the passing hands of several tiny fairies. “I am their life force. I must not let anything happen to them.”

Sarah nodded, disappointed. “I understand. Is there any aid you can offer us?”

Titania thought for a moment.  “My blood and the blood of my children has proven to be fatal to the Chimera. I am not a skilled craftsman, but I can conjure a serum from the blood that flows within our veins that can be used to imbue the weapons you will need for combat.”  

Sarah nodded, exhaling forcefully through her lips. The word combat sent an unsettling shiver up her spine. “I’m grateful for any assistance you can give us.” She looked down at her healed leg. “Thank you again, Titania.” Sarah bent down to pick up her discarded backpack. She noticed that it was open and wondered if some of the fairies had been playing with the zippers. She reached in and picked up her book to make sure it was still there. She trailed her fingers over the worn cover and wondered if it was still writing her story.

“That book,” Titania inquired. “Where did you get it?”

“My mother gave it to me,” Sarah confessed, slightly confused by Titania’s intrigue.

“I see. Remember, that story has already been unfolded and played to its end.” Titania riddled. “Yours, however, is a journey yet to be written.”

Sarah placed the book back in her bag, zipping the backpack closed and slinging it over her shoulder. She stood, facing Titania. “What do you mean? How do you know what’s in the book?”

Titania smiled, reaching out and brushing Sarah’s hair behind her ear. “What it means, dear mortal one, is that you hold the fate of us all. Here,” Titania said, cunningly changing the subject. “I offer you this token before you depart.”

Titania’s eyes flickered up and Sarah flinched as she felt a heavy chain slide down over the back of her head and tops of her ears, coming to rest on her neck and chest. A small, beautifully crafted vial hung from the end of the chain. Tentatively, Sarah picked up the vial and looked into it. A dark red substance with brilliant streaks of bright purple swirled within the constraints of the glass. Sarah imagined that this is what bottled magic must look like. It almost seemed alive. Instantly, Sarah knew what it was.

“Your blood?” Sarah inquired.

Titania nodded. “In its purest form. It is more than enough to cure you should you become stricken once again.” Titania clasped her hand over Sarah’s which still held the small, crystal vial. “But let us hope that does not happen.”

Sarah nodded vehemently. She was in no hurry to experience the effects of Chimera poison anytime soon.

“You must make haste, Sarah. For Euryale’s minions roam the Labyrinth in search of you. From the moment you stepped back inside this world, you have been hunted. Find the pendant, restore the Labyrinth and return Jareth to his throne.” Titania grasped Sarah’s hand tighter, an urgent pleading within her wide blue eyes. “You are the only hope we have left.”

* * *

 

It had been hours since Sarah and the others had left the sanctuary of the fairy thicket. Sarah walked aimlessly through the Labyrinth, unsure of each twist and turn she took. Her companions were of no help as Sir Didymus rarely left the bog of eternal stench and Hoggle claimed that the area of the Labyrinth they had entered was completely foreign to him. Sarah trudged on and after a time, her stomach began to rumble with protests of neglect. Sarah ignored her increasing hunger which gnawed at her unpleasantly. She endeavored to occupy her mind with the arduous tasks that spread before her. However, her mind kept wandering back to the last time she ate and she actually found herself longing for more of Hoggle’s rumpleshrew stew.

Despite her tenaciousness and determination to forget about her stomach, something in her demeanor must have changed enough to warrant the attention of her companions.

“Sarah, is something the matter?” Hoggle inquired as he hobbled next to her.

Sarah shook her head, reluctant to complain.  “I’m fine.” She said, brushing him off. Sarah reflected on how often she’d used the same term with Steven in the short time it took to lead to the devastating end of their relationship.

 _You mean when he just walked out without any real explanation or reason_ , Sarah’s mind taunted. Sarah frowned deeply. She hadn’t even thought of him since arriving in the Labyrinth. A pang of inexplicable despair tore through her as she wondered if she was simply replacing one object of love for another. She wondered if she was just deferring her heartbreak by pouring her soul into this quest to save Jareth. Was she truly so misguided, blinded by her unhappy state that she had convinced herself of a love from a mysterious, magical creature that was never really there?

 _No!_ She hissed sternly in her mind, the dark thoughts abating and scattering at her inner tone. _Stop this right now!_ She chastised herself angrily. She had enough hardships to endure and knew that she didn’t need to add to them with her own insecurities.

Hoggle tugged gently on her hand. Sarah glared down at the concerned dwarf.

“What?” She snapped, projecting her anger onto her friend.

Hoggle retracted his hand, but still gazed up at Sarah.  “Ya know you can talk to us,” he said gently. “We’re your friends. You need friends.”

Sarah scoffed ruefully as she continued to walk. She couldn’t deny that Hoggle was right. She needed to talk to someone because it appeared that keeping things to herself was causing her mind to turn against her. She needed other voices of reason to keep her grounded. Furthermore, she needed to lay her burdens out before her brain imploded.

“What’s on your mind?” Hoggle pressed.

“Everything,” Sarah griped loudly, throwing her hands out from her sides in frustrated gestures. She looked down to see Hoggle’s wide eyes appraise her curiously. “It’s just… I have so many questions and only riddles to piece together the answers. I don’t know where to begin. The Labyrinth’s changed so much and somehow I’m supposed to find the Fireys when no one knows where they are anymore. Even if we do find the Fireys, we have no idea what they’re going to do. They might help us or more likely, they’ll just try to dismember us! I don’t know how I came to be back in Underground and I have a mysterious book that seems to be writing itself. People keep telling me that I possess a magic that I have no idea how to utilize. There are nightmarish creatures _hunting_ me at this very moment and a snake Queen who would probably like nothing more than to turn me to stone and keep me as some macabre prize! Jareth’s been captured and I need to save him by somehow locating his pendant that no longer works in this living, ever changing maze full of unfathomable danger. And the worst part is, it’s all my fault! None of this would’ve ever happened if it weren’t for me. ” She ranted. Her stomach growled menacingly at her outburst. “ And I’m hungry!”

“Why didn’t milady say something before!” Sir Didymus announced, trotting up beside Sarah on Ambrosius. Sarah stopped and watched as Sir Didymus rooted around in the side saddle. Hoggle continued to peer with wide eyed worry at Sarah. Sir Didymus mumbled a few things about having to organize his saddle at some point before producing a large, round cloth bundle tied together with a piece of leather strapping.

Sarah took the bundle and untied it to reveal a concoction of dried fruits, nuts, and cured meat. Her stomach rumbled appreciatively as the aroma of the assortment wafted through her senses. “Oh, Sir Didymus, thank you!” Sarah said gratefully. “ Are you sure I can have this?”

“Nonsense, you shouldn’t even ask!” Sir Didymus exclaimed. “I have a whole saddlebag full of such provisions” He grabbed another satchel and tossed it to Hoggle. “Here, my friend, one for you as well.”

“Ooh,” Hoggle murmured in excitement as he pulled at the leather strings.

Sarah looked around them and spied a small clearing over a crumbling wall. A dead tree stood silent and lonely in the middle of the rubble and decay.

“Let’s go eat over there and rest a bit,” Sarah suggested.

“Wonderfully proposed, milady!” Sir Didymus agreed, barely able to control Ambrosius as he dove for the glade in anticipation of the meal they were about to share.

“Are you alright?” Hoggle asked as he and Sarah made their way to the small clearing.

Sarah nodded, placing a friendly hand on the dwarf’s shoulder. “Yes, I’m alright. I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’m just under a lot of pressure.” Sarah gave him a soft smile. “But thanks for listening.”

Hoggle returned the smile and they settled in and began enjoying their meals. Sarah leaned up against the dead tree, thankful for the reprieve of the journey. She began chewing on a piece of cured meat, unable to hide her amusement as she recognized the taste.

“What is it?” Hoggle asked as Sarah tried to hide her smile.

Sarah shook her head. “Nothing,” she giggled as she continued to chew. “It’s rumpleshrew.”

“Correct!” Sir Didymus announced. “You have keen senses, milady.”

Hoggle shot Sarah a wry smile and they continued to eat. Sarah was delighted that the fruits had retained a full and rich flavor despite having been dried and even though Sarah had never overly cared for legumes, she found herself rather fond of these.

“It’s not, ya know,” Hoggle said after a short period of silence.

“Not what?” Sarah asked, popping another piece of fruit into her mouth.

“Not yer fault,” Hoggle said.

Sarah’s mouth pulled unhappily as she chewed. She knew Hoggle was only trying to make her feel better, but that didn’t make it true.

“You don’t have to say that,” Sarah mumbled, pulling absentmindedly at the strings of the satchel. “If I’d only known what I know now, I could’ve stopped this from happening.”

“But ya didn’t know,” Hoggle said gently. “How could you? Jareth was a brute. He pushed you around to get what he wanted. He was a bully who didn’t know any other way.”

Sarah smirked. “A lot like the schoolboy who pulls the hair of the girl he likes.”

“It may not be my place to say, milady, but you shouldn’t place blame upon yourself,” Sir Didymus interjected. “It was the Goblin King himself who condemned the Labyrinth with his foolhardy antics. Had he only been truthful to you and told you his true feelings, this might have been avoided.”

Sarah ran her hand through her hair and sighed. “But he did tell me. I just didn’t understand the words at the time. I was too young to understand what he was offering to me.”

“Then that’s not your fault,” Hoggle insisted. “It’s his. He’s been around long ‘nuff to know better. If what Titania said was true with the pendant, then he put himself in this situation.”

“Here, here,” Sir Didymus agreed.

“And all of you suffer for it,” Sarah added. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but the fact still remains that I could’ve stopped this from happening. Maybe I’m not totally at fault, but I am partly to blame.” She gave her friends a sympathetic smile. “And for that, I am sorry.”

“There is no need for apologies. We bear no ill will towards you, milady,” Sir Didymus assured. “You are a light in the dark that surrounds us all. We are gladdened and humbled by your presence.” He gave her a toothy smile.

“Yeah,” Hoggle interjected. “What he said!”

Sarah felt her cheeks flush as a bittersweet sadness crept through her chest. She couldn’t have asked for better friends. She’d forgotten about them, yet they still remained loyal and steadfast by her side. She vowed to herself that despite all the darkness that had befallen the Labyrinth, she would do everything within her power to make things right by them.

“Thank you,” Sarah said genuinely. “Both of you. Even though this isn’t the most ideal of situations, I’m glad to be here with you.”

After some more idle chatter, the group settled into a light silence that was occasionally interrupted by Sir Didymus scolding Ambrosius for eating too quickly.

“It’s a wonder you got such nice eats seeming hows you never leave that Bog,” Hoggle mumbled after some time.

Sir Didymus heaved a sigh. “My personal garden is the only thing I have left any longer. The Bog to which I have been entrusted has grown ever so dark,” Sir Didymus recanted sadly. “Once a thriving oasis of beauty, it now decays and its wondrous odor has begun to sour.”

“I thought it smelled worse than before,” Hoggle remarked.

“It never had a foul stench before!” Sir Didymus contended violently. “The air was always crisp and clean. It was a paradise!”

Hoggle huffed, but didn’t say anything else. Sir Didymus began to hum a jolly ditty, seemingly lost in memory.

Sarah tied the remainder of her food back into the bundled satchel, placing it in the front pocket of her backpack. “I wonder whatever became of Ludo?” She asked, almost absent mindedly.

Sir Didymus stopped humming abruptly. Sarah looked up and was surprised to catch Hoggle and Sir Didymus as they exchanged worried glances.

An icy tendril of unease snaked through Sarah. “What? What is it?”

“Uh, well, we didn’t know how to tell ya this,” Hoggle muttered, clearing his throat and shuffling his feet nervously.

“Tell me what?” Sarah asked, concern rapidly growing within her.

“Milady,” Sir Didymus began, his dark eyes pained and full of sadness.  “Brother Ludo was with us when we opposed the Gorgon Queen in battle.”

“You were in the battle?” Sarah asked, bewildered. “I didn’t realize... I only saw goblin bodies.”

“Jareth called on all those he could for aid near the end,” Hoggle explained. “His goblin forces weren’t enough to fend off the impending attack.”

Sarah bit her lip, her brow creasing in sadness. “I’m sorry.”

“It was a gruesome battle with many lives lost, milady.  A bloody campaign of which I would rather not regale a lovely woman such as yourself with the overly hideous details. I will, however, get to the heart of the matter which is that of Brother Ludo,” Sir Didymus relented.

“He...he fought valiantly, giving no thought to himself, but only to his brethren in arms,” Sir Didymus recalled. “He called the rocks to our aid, fending off hordes of Chimera. I fought tirelessly at his side, but the legions of ghastly creatures pushed us back. We were overwhelmed.” Sir Didymus let loose a heavy sigh and scratched his furry head in regret. “It was Brother Ludo who saved the last of us from annihilation. As the enemy closed in, Brother Ludo called upon the rocks one last time, constructing a solid wall that separated us from him and our attackers.”

“What?” Sarah asked feebly, her voice barely a whisper over her disbelief and despair.

“He, uh, sacrificed himself to save us,” Hoggle added sadly.

Sarah swallowed thickly, her mind racing to grasp and understand a situation she could not possibly comprehend without having been there. “You left him?” She set her gaze on Sir Didymus. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Sir Didymus shook his head sadly. “It was not without great regret and anguish, milady. The wall he constructed was our only hope. The Gorgon Queen and her army had driven us to the borders of the Labyrinth. We were trapped with no safe retreat. Brother Ludo sacrificed himself to save us. He kept the enemy at bay long enough to ensure our survival.” Sir Didymus dropped his head, closing his eyes tightly. “That was the day the Gorgon Queen won the Labyrinth and captured the Goblin King. Countless goblin lives and creatures were lost on that dark day.”

“Burned to the bone,” Hoggle muttered, lost in memory. “The air rained ash.”

“I-I’ve never been able to forgive myself for letting my valiant brother sacrifice himself for me and the others. I should’ve remained at his side.” Sir Didymus whimpered.

Sarah swiped at the tears that she felt come to her eyes. Ludo had been such a gentle giant. She had hoped to see him once more.

“He did it to save you both. You were his friends,” Sarah soothed, reaching out and gently rubbing Sir Didymus’ paw. “He wouldn’t want you to blame yourselves.”

Sir Didymus sniffed and patted Ambrosius on the head, who whined in sympathy. “As always, you are correct, fair maiden. There is nothing we do can change the past. We can only hope to fight for a better tomorrow.”

Sarah nodded, reflecting on the charred bodies of the goblins she had seen when she entered the Labyrinth. She hadn’t seen the remains of anything that was as large as Ludo.

“Maybe he escaped,” Sarah ventured hopefully.

Hoggle and Sir Didymus sat quietly fidgeting, their silence only finalizing what Sarah already knew in her mind, but refused to believe in her heart.

“Cor! Sarah!” Hoggle exclaimed in awe. “Look!” Hoggle pointed to the tree which Sarah had been leaning against.

Sarah looked up and gaped in wonderment. The tree above her was brimming with life. Sarah twisted around so that she could get a better view. The dead tree which had once stood with broken and crisp brown branches now glistened in the sunlight with vibrant green leaves that shifted and fluttered in the wind.  A thick vine with small white flowers had begun to weave itself along the body of the tree. Sarah could actually see the vine growing with life.

“I don’t believe it. She was right,” Sarah whispered, stunned by the dramatic transformation that was taking place right before her very eyes. Curios, Sarah began to take in her surroundings. The clearing they had taken their rest was not teeming with life. The lichen, once shriveled and blackened, began to grow and lengthen. Their eyes reluctantly opening and squinting against the harsh brightness of the sun. Insects began to audibly buzz and the cave worms cautiously crept across the newly grown grass.

“My word!” Sir Didymus remarked. “All this has taken place right under our very noses. It’s like the Labyrinth is being delivered from chaos. It’s returning to life!”

“Yeah, but I ain’t ever seen it this lively before,” Hoggle remarked warily.

Sir Didymus nodded vigorously. “Yes, it does seem to be rather-- Ambrosius! Get that out of your mouth this instant!” Sir Didymus yelped as Ambrosius sidled up to the group with a flailing creature.

“Your mother was a hairless mole rat!” The creature screeched, squirming in Ambrosius’ mouth.

“Ugh! What is that thing?!” Sarah gasped, disgusted.

Hoggle jumped up, pulling the creature from a stunned Ambrosius’ hold and releasing it. He set it on the ground.

“Uh, we’re terribly sorry,” Hoggle fumbled over his words. “He don’t mean no harm.”

“A vex! A vex and a pox on you and your stupid beast!” The little creature screamed, picking up a small rock and hurling it at Hoggle before scampering off to the path. Quickly, the agile little creature overturned a stone on the path and hopped under it. He let loose a moist raspberry before dropping out of sight under the stone.  

“Hmph, that’s gratitude for ya,” Hoggle muttered, shaking his head.

“Ambrosius, how many times have I told you not to pick up strange things?” Sir Didymus scolded. “Mercy knows where that creature has been!”

Ambrosius whined pathetically in response to the scolding.

“What was that?” Sarah asked again.

Hoggle wiped his hands on his pants, as if trying to wipe away remnants of the creature. “We call ‘em Brick Keepers. I thought they’d all gone. Greasy little beasts. They’re kind of a nuisance.”

“Huh,” Sarah mused. “Looks like lots of things are coming back.”

“They are,” Hoggle agreed, gazing at Sarah. “What’d ya mean when you said she was right?”

Sarah’s attention snapped back to Hoggle. The ordeal with the Brick Keeper had completely made her forget about her conversation with Titania.

“Oh,” Sarah replied. “It was just something Titania said to me. She told me that I was the keeper of the Labyrinth.”

“The keeper of the Labyrinth?” Hoggle echoed. “What does that mean?”

Sarah shook her head. “I don’t know, but I’m starting to believe her. The longer I’m here, the more I see the truth of her words. It’s like the Labyrinth knows I’m here. It’s coming alive again.”

Sir Didymus scratched his chin. “Fair maiden, you’re speaking as if the Labyrinth is an entity. As if it were not a place populated with life, but that the Labyrinth itself is actually...alive?”

“Yes,” Sarah said, shaking her head. “And I know it sounds crazy, but everything Titania told me is coming true. The Labyrinth is alive. It’s like a living, breathing entity of its own and it always has been.” Sarah placed her hand to the ground. “And if the Labyrinth lives and breathes, it must have a heart that beats.”

Sir Didymus and Hoggle exchanged confused glances.

“You’re saying that the Labyrinth is a living being? Like an animal?” Hoggle asked skeptically.

“In a sense--I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m saying,” Sarah confessed, suddenly frustrated. “I just know how I feel and I feel like the Labyrinth is alive.”

A kind of realization began to dawn on Sarah and her mouth dropped open as she suddenly understood. “We need to find the heart of the Labyrinth!”

“The heart of the Labyrinth?” Hoggle asked. “Why do we need to go there?”

“Because,” Sarah said, excitement in her voice. “That’s where Jareth’s hidden his pendant.” She smiled. “Where his heart is.”

“Wha--” Hoggle gaped in surprise. “How do ya know?”

Sarah shook her head, a wide smile brimming her face. “I don’t know how I know, I just do.” She clasped her hands over her heart. “I feel it.”

“Cor!” Hoggle muttered, unconvinced. “You feel it?”  
“If the fair maiden says she feels it, then we must support her!” Sir Didymus argued, backing up Sarah. “She’s never steered us wrong before.”

“Okay, okay. Fine,” Hoggle relented. “But how do ya propose we find this heart? I’ve never heard of it.”

“If it’s as important as Titania made it out to be, then Jareth would’ve been very careful not to let anyone know about it,” Sarah stated. “But that doesn’t mean he could’ve kept it a secret from everyone. As much as I hate to say it, I think Titania was right. We need to find the Fireys.”

“Well, what’re we waitin’ for then?” Hoggle asked.

“Alright then!” Sarah announced, standing. “Let’s go find that rambunctious bunch of dismembering lunatics.”

“Here, here!” Sir Didymus announced enthusiastically. “Come, Ambrosius! Our adventure awaits!”

Ambrosius moaned pathetically in reply as Sir Didymus hopped up on his back. Sarah began to lead the trio out of the glade which was now thriving with flowers and plants. Sarah pondered Titania’s words and wondered what it meant to be the Keeper of the Labyrinth. She also wondered why the Labyrinth suddenly became so vibrant at her presence now and not when she had visited before. Was it because Jareth’s magic was keeping it in check and now it was able to thrive unrestrained because of her? Sarah considered this and many more things as she and the others continued on through the Labyrinth, her hopes high despite the memory of Ludo tugging sadly at her thoughts.


	8. Wasn't Too Much Fun At All

“We been walkin’ for hours!” Hoggle complained, bending down to rub his aching feet. “Are ya sure ya know where you’re goin’?”

Sarah sighed in exasperation. Hoggle had been complaining nonstop and his constant whining was beginning to grate at her nerves. The Labyrinth appeared to be much larger than it was when she had last visited and absolutely nothing appeared to be the same.

“What do you want me to do?” Sarah turned to Hoggle, hostility building within her. “Should we ask for directions?”

Hoggle stopped, wide eyed surprise overtaking his features. “Oh, well, ur, um...I…” He looked around, as if searching for anyone else. “I guess not.”

“I’ll scout ahead,” Sir Didymus offered. “You two take rest. Come, Ambrosius.” Sarah watched as Sir Didymus trotted off around the bend, grateful to the old fox for his positive disposition.

“Look, I’m tired, too,” Sarah relented, leaning against a stone statue. “But we’ve gotta keep going. We’re not safe here out in the open.”

Hoggle nodded in agreement. He looked at Sarah, his eyes widening in surprise and fear. “Uh, Sarah,” he uttered, pointing behind her.

Sarah stood up quickly, turning on her heel and backing up quickly until she was beside Hoggle. She followed his trembling finger. He was pointing to the statue she’d been leaning against seconds ago. Her hand flew up to her mouth to suppress a gasp.

“Is that… the old man with the talking hat?” Sarah asked, appalled that she’d just used the poor creature as a backrest.

“Yeah, I think it is,” Hoggle confirmed softly.

Sarah appraised the figure carefully. The old man appeared to be sleeping in his stone form. His hat, however, had a gruesome look of terror as its mouth gaped open in scream that was forever frozen in time. Sarah shuddered at the thought and wondered if those who were turned to stone were simply trapped within themselves or if they ceased to exist. Either way, it was an unpleasant fate that Sarah didn’t want to suffer.

“How long do you suppose he’s been like that?” Sarah wondered aloud.

“Not long,” Hoggle muttered, holding his hand to his stomach. “Not long at all.”

Sarah turned to Hoggle, whose skin had paled. He looked ill. “How do you know? Are you alright?” She stepped toward her small friend, bending down and placing a hand on his shoulder.

Hoggle placed his hands on his knees, pulling in a deep breath. “I’m alright. It’s just, I saw him right before I ran into you,” Hoggle said. “He was just fine and that hat of his was still babbling nonstop.”

Sarah felt a cold shiver run through her as she suddenly understood Hoggle’s reaction. The Chimera were not the only things hunting Sarah. “She’s searching for me, too.”

Hoggle nodded, his features twisted with fear and concern. “And she’s close.”

Sarah stood up stiffly, her senses hiking with the spike in her pulse. “We’ve gotta keep moving.”

Hoggle nodded, backing up. “That’s a good idea.”

A hand grabbed Hoggle’s shoulder and Hoggle let out an unholy screech of terror. Sarah jumped, turning around and readied herself for a frenzied fight.

Sir Didymus let out a startled yelp as Ambrosius lept back in surprise at Hoggle’s reaction, dismounting Sir Didymus in the process.

“Ambrosius! You cowardly steed!” He swore. He picked himself up and looked at Hoggle and Sarah in confusion. Hoggle panted heavily, his hand grasping his chest over his heart.

Sir Didymus studied his two flustered companions. “What in blazes is going on here?”

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. “Sorry,” she whispered. “We made a frightening discovery. This just happened recently,” she gestured to the statue of the old man. “It Euryale’s doing.”

Sir Didymus squinted at the statue, shaking his head ruefully.

“Did ya have to sneak up on us like that?” Hoggle blustered. “You coulda killed me!”

“You are not the only ones to make a harrowing discovery. After what I’ve seen, it seems likely that ’s the fate we shall all suffer if we continue to dally,” Sir Didymus huffed.

“What do you mean?” Sarah asked, the cold clammy feeling of dread once again seizing control of her body.

“There’s trouble up ahead,” Sir Didymus announced distractedly as he grabbed Ambrosius’ reins and righted himself onto the saddle.

“What kinda trouble?” Hoggle asked, still clutching his shirt over his heart.

“Given that it’s the only path forward, as the others have been closed and rearranged by the Labyrinth, it’s best if I simply show you,” Sir Didymus said softly. “But be warned, milady, the path that lies ahead is not a pretty one. Stay close to me.”

Sarah nodded, chewing slightly on her bottom lip. She threw one last regretful look back at the statue of the old wise man with his terrified hat and shuddered.

“How is she so close?” Sarah asked as she trailed Sir Didymus. “How does she know where we are in this whole entire Labyrinth?”

“She’s got spies,” Hoggle mumbled, his gaze nervously twitching about. “I’m guessin’ that Brick Keeper wasn’t there by accident.”

“I would concur with that assumption,” Sir Didymus said. “Brick Keepers are rarely seen and for one to be so easily captured by Ambrosius means it was watching us.”

Sarah shook her head, angry with the circumstances that surrounded her. “Could we be heading into a trap?”

“Unlikely,” Sir Didymus responded.

“Why do ya say that?” Hoggle asked.

Sir Didymus’ ears fell as he shook his head. “You shall see momentarily.”

Sarah didn’t like the ominous tone in his voice. Furthermore, Sir Didymus’ demeanor had become repressed and sullen. She worried about what he’d seen and what she was about to see.

As she ducked through a low archway, the presage of Sir Didymus’ words and demeanor came to fruition.

Sarah gasped in horror and disgust, her hand flying over her mouth and nose to impede the acrid scent of charred fur and flesh from further imposing upon her senses.

Hoggle stopped behind her, his own hands pressed tightly against his mouth as he gagged profusely. He leaned behind the archway, loudly emptying the contents of his stomach. Sarah swallowed repeatedly, suppressing the urge to vomit as her stomach heaved. Listening to Hoggle was nearly her undoing.

“Oh, my God,” Sarah coughed, blinking back the tears of exertion that rose to her eyes as she repressed the sickness that rose violently within her. She reluctantly scanned the carnage and horror that lay before her.

Several Chimera bodies lay bloodied and butchered on the ground leading up to two doorways. The large, heavy doors themselves hung pathetically off strained hinges, large claws marks gouging the charred and battered wood. Sarah saw that there were two heaping masses which still smoldered in front of each doorway. Sarah edged closer to get a look at the remains, careful not to get too close to the Chimera bodies. Though they appeared dead, Sarah wasn’t about to take any chances. As she drew closer to the charred bodies, the caustic black smoke that rose from them forced Sarah to pull her ripped and tattered cardigan over her nose and mouth. She coughed again, swallowing her revulsion as she reached out to touch the decimated, wooden shield which lay on its face beside the smoldering corpses.

“Sarah, be careful!” Hoggle gasped, still shuddering from his expulsion in the safety of the archway.

Sarah gently lifted the shield and whimpered as she recognized the red insignia at the bottom.

“The shield brothers,” she whispered. “The doors red and blue.” Sarah shook her head in dismay. “Oh, no.”

“They must have fought with the bravery of an army to have done away with so many of these monsters,” Sir Didymus said quietly. Sarah looked up to see him knelt beside the bodies of the shield brothers on the right. He pulled lightly at the remnants of their shield. They had once been the blue shield brothers.

“Sir Didymus,” Sarah started sadly. “Did you know them?”

Sir Didymus bowed his head. “They were the knights and knaves, sworn by duty to guard their doors as I am sworn by duty to protect the bridge and the Bog.” Sir Didymus raised his dark sad eyes to Sarah. “How little honor there is in their deaths.”

Before Sarah could comfort Sir Didymus, a wretched moan of horror flooded through the door on the left. Sarah stood up quickly, her eyes wide with fear. Sir Didymus leapt in front of her, his sword at the ready.

“I shall not go down without a fight, you fiends!” He snarled, barking angrily.

Hoggle grabbed the spear off Ambrosius’ saddle and ran up beside Sarah, holding it in front of him defensively.

“Wait,” Sarah said, putting her hand down in front of Hoggle. “It doesn’t sound like an attack. That sounds like something in pain.”

“You think someone’s in trouble?” Hoggle asked fearfully, his voice rising shrilly. “Whatta we do?”

“I don’t know,” Sarah replied, stepping around Sir Didymus and cautiously approaching the door.

“Milady, be careful!” Sir Didymus entreated urgently.

Sarah nodded, creeping up to the entrance and peering warily through it. Her jaw dropped open in utter surprise as she never expected to see what lay beyond the door.

The ground below her opened up into a massive valley that was littered with thousands upon thousands of bright yellow flowers that kept going beyond the horizon. The sea of yellow and green floral was dotted with a dozen large, dark brown forms. Sarah’s breath caught in her throat as she realized that the figures belonged to the Chimera. As their mournful wails and whines pierced through the air, Sarah almost felt sorry for them. They sounded like they were in horrible pain.

“What’s hurting them?” She asked herself as she scanned their bodies. Finally, Sarah noticed that white vines had started to wrap themselves around the incapacitated beasts. The Chimera whined pitifully as the vines seemed to fasten themselves around the creatures. Sarah squinted and a cold rush of fear struck her as she saw that the vines were covered with large, sharp barbs that were implanting themselves inside the Chimera’s flesh. Sarah watched in horror as the white vines began to take on a pink tinge and then a deep red as they filled with the blood of the bound beasts. As the vines drank the blood, the yellow flowers became streaked with red as well. A sickening understanding settled on Sarah.

“They’re feeding off them,” Sarah whispered. “They’re killing them. The flowers…” Suddenly, a sweet, heady scent filled her lungs. Sarah shook her head hard. It was as if someone had dropped her in a pool of water. Sarah felt as if her body was being encompassed by some unseen force. Her senses became dangerously dulled and an overpowering calm claimed her mind. Sarah felt herself languidly drift closer to the doorway, as an invisible energy beckoned her to enter the field. The closer she got, the more intoxicating and desirable the scent became.

“But they’re so pretty,” Sarah mumbled, unaware she was even speaking. She was no longer in control of her own body. Her legs moved on their own as her eyes focused on the glorious field of yellow and red streaked flowers with deep green leaves and white vines. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to lie with the flowers. She wanted to be surrounded by them.

She stepped through the entrance.

“Sarah, what’re you doing?!” Hoggle yelled.

“Milady! Stop!” Sir Didymus shouted.

Sarah took another step, the stone stairway crumbling beneath her shoe. Sarah tumbled through the doorway, landing hard on her knees, but her eyes remained unwaveringly focused on the field of flowers.

“So close,” she slurred, reaching out for the flowers. In response, a tiny white vine reached out for her, wrapping itself around her finger and sinking its thistles into her skin. More white vines began to appear, slinking around her arms and wrists, stabbing her with their needle like thorns, dragging her deeper into the field.

“Ah,” Sarah murmured, the pain cutting through her delirium. She blinked several times, shaking her head once more as her thoughts began to clear. She looked down and saw the vines begin to flow red with her blood and suddenly, the trance that had overtaken her shattered. Sarah screamed.

“Get off me!” She cried, fighting violently against the sharp vines, ruthlessly ripping them from her arms and hands. She turned to see Hoggle and Sir Didymus approach the door.

“No!” Sarah screamed. “Get away! The flowers trick you. Don’t breath the scent. Run!”

“But Sarah…” Hoggle started.

“JUST RUN!” Sarah screamed, clambering to her feet and running for the doorway. As she ran up the crumbling stone steps to freedom, a large vine wrapped around Sarah’s waist and yanked her.

“No!” Sarah yelped, grabbing onto the side of the doorframe for support, successfully suspending herself in the air. The vine tightened ruthlessly around her stomach and sharply ripped through her shirt. Sarah groaned in pain and exertion, pulling herself through the door as the vine struggled to tow her back into the field. A piece of wood splintered in Sarah’s hand and she lost her grip. Sarah desperately clung to the frame of the entrance with only one hand.

“Sarah!” Hoggle shouted, clamping both hands around her wrist tightly. “Don’t let go!”

“It’s too strong!” Sarah gasped, struggling against the vine. In response, the vine tightened even more and Sarah could feel the barbs pierce her flesh and burrow deeply inside of her. Sarah screamed in pain.

“Hold on, fair maiden!” Sir Didymus shouted, leaping underneath Sarah. He brandished his sword and swiped skillfully at the vine. “I demand you release her at once!” He snarled, hacking at the demonic plant.

As Sir Didymus continued to land strikes, a white liquid began to spew from the vine. Hoggle grunted with exertion as he pulled Sarah to him. Sarah could feel the vine loosen its grip as she began to ever so slowly gain the advantage. Suddenly, Sarah felt herself flying through the doorway. She screamed as she was hurtled forward and landed on top of a stunned Hoggle. Without even thinking, Sarah twisted around and violently kicked the marred wooden door closed before she fell against the ground, panting heavily.

Hoggle groaned in pain next to Sarah. Sir Didymus was by her side in an instant.

“Milady, are you hurt?” He asked, fear and concern laden throughout his dark eyes.

Sarah took in several deep breaths and exhaled slowly. Every fiber of her being felt like it was on fire with pain.

“A little, but I’m okay.” She winced as she struggled to sit up. “Hoggle?”

“I’m alright,” Hoggle gasped. “Just got the breath knocked from me.”

Sarah groaned in disgust as she realized the white vine was still wrapped around her waist.

“That is so disgusting!” She growled as she unbound herself and flung the limp and shriveled vine against the closed door.

“You appear to be bleeding,” Sir Didymus observed gently.

Sarah looked down and noticed blood seeping through the holes in her shirt around her waist and through the mangled sleeves of her cardigan. She rolled up her shirt and inspected her stomach.  Sir Didymus respectfully turned away.

“It’s alright,” Sarah muttered, gently prodding the wounds. The punctures were deep, but did not appear to be bad. “I think I’ll live.”

“I have some bandages,” Sir Didymus said. “I’ll fetch them for you and we can clean the wounds properly.”

“Oh, no, it’s…” Sarah began.

“There’s no call to be foolhardy,” Sir Didymus scolded. “It’s best we tend to these now before they become infected.” He quickly scampered off to Ambrosius before Sarah could argue.

“You don’t suppose you’ve been poisoned, do you?” Hoggle asked fretfully.

Sarah shook her head. “No, I think they use their scent to lure in their victims. I don’t think the vines were poisonous.” She reflected on her Chimera bite. “Or at least, I hope they’re not.”

“Were those Chimera bodies in there?” Hoggle asked.

“Yes,” Sarah confirmed. “At least a dozen. They must’ve been lured in like I was with the intoxicating scent. Except, they couldn’t get away.”

“You are very fortunate, milady,” Sir Didymus said, returning with a bundle of clean wrappings and water in a wineskin. “You must not have been a priority meal since it appears the flowers already had a full plate.”

“Yeah,” Sarah agreed. “Very lucky.”

She dabbed at her wounds lightly, applying a horrible smelling salve to them that Sir Didymus supplied her. Although the smell was not something that was altogether pleasant, Sarah was grateful for the fact that it caused the burning sensation of the wounds to dull quickly. Hoggle wrapped bandages around Sarah’s stomach while Sir Didymus worked on her wrists and hands.

“You guys don’t have to take care of me like this,” Sarah mumbled, flushed with embarrassment from all the attention.

“Nonsense,” Sir Didymus replied. “We are your friends.”

“And friends take care of each other,” Hoggle echoed, tying off the bandage. “There, all done.”

Sarah rolled down her tattered shirt and smiled at her friends. “Thank you. I don’t know where I’d be without you both.”

Sarah’s smile faltered as she gazed at the door.

“What is it?” Hoggle asked, following Sarah’s gaze.

“The first time I was here, the guards warned me about the doors,” Sarah explained. “They said that one door leads to freedom and the other to certain death.”

“Well, they weren’t lyin’,” Hoggle scoffed.

“I asked the question and I knew which door to take,” Sarah muttered almost incoherently. “I knew it all along.”  
“Milady?” Sir Didymus inquired, concerned.

Sarah drew in a ragged breath. She remembered the riddle and the choice she had made. She had been absolutely sure of herself when she had chosen the blue door. Her deadly brush with the field of vampiric flowers only lent more credence to Titania’s words. Sarah was truly beginning to believe that there was more at play than what met the eye. For if it was truly just all luck, surely it would’ve run out long ago.

“Are you fit for travel?” Sir Didymus asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Sarah nodded. “Yes, let’s get out of here.”

“Only one way to go now,” Hoggle observed dismally.

“Yeah,” Sarah agreed, grimacing as she stood, her aching muscles and wounds complaining with the effort.

“Be careful,” Sarah warned her companions. “There’s a trapdoor that leads down to the oubliette.”

Hoggle chuckled. “Oh, so that’s how you ended up in the oubliette.”

“Uh-huh,” Sarah replied, unamused.

“Well, the Labyrinth’s full of surprises,” Hoggle said, throwing a glance back at the other door.

“You can say that again,” Sarah griped. “It just goes to show you that the right path doesn’t always mean it’s going to be easy.”

As they approached the door, it turned out Sarah’s warning was not needed after all. It was easy to see that the trapdoor that had ensnared Sarah remained gaping open. The snarls and howls of several angry Chimera floated up through the hole, causing the hair on the back of Sarah’s neck to stand on end.  

“How many do ya think are down there?” Hoggle asked as he tentatively gazed down into the pit.

“Too many,” Sarah replied.

“Be careful gazing into the abyss,” Sir Didymus remarked. “One never knows when the abyss will stare back.”

Sarah peered at Sir Didymus, bemused. “Where did you hear that?”

“Somewhere long ago,” Sir Didymus said. “I don’t remember who said it at the time.”

Sarah nodded, recognizing the quote as it was one of her favorites.

 _First Shakespeare and now Nietzsche_ , she thought to herself. _How many people in the human world were influenced by the Fae_?

 _More than you know,_ her mind answered. Sarah stopped as a large piece of Titania’s riddle slowly became clear. It was as if an obstruction had come loudly crashing down around her and she could finally see the truth. Sarah swallowed thickly, visibly staggered by her revelation.

“Milady, is something amiss?” Sir Didymus asked. “You’ve become quite pale.”

Sarah shook her head. She knew that this was neither the time nor the place to discuss the pieces of the puzzle that were slowly forming a picture inside her head.

“Nothing,” Sarah muttered. “We have to keep moving,” she continued as Hoggle eyed her suspiciously. “We’ve lingered here too long. We still need to get to the Firey forest.”

“Yes,” Sir Didymus agreed. “We must continue onward.”

Sarah turned and continued down the passageway, avoiding Hoggle’s stare. She needed time to figure out what it all meant. She needed time to sort it out because she was having difficulty coming to terms with the implications of her revelation.

 _Could it be?_ She wondered silently. _How can it be true?_ _  
_ No matter how many questions Sarah asked herself, there was no denying the clarity that she had been afforded. She knew the truth in her heart.

She was Fae touched, that part was obvious given her past with Jareth. What Sarah had come to comprehend was that she was not only influenced by those in the Fae world of Underground, she was actually part of it.

 _You are the Keeper._ Titania’s words swirled through her head and Sarah could no longer claim ignorance of their meaning.  _You are more powerful than you realize. Your humanity stifles your magic._

At one point in time, someone in her family had come from Underground. One of her ancestors had gone to the human world and left traces of their magic in her bloodline until it had manifested in her.

Sarah now understood and the realization weighed heavily upon her heart.

Sarah was part Fae and Titania had known the truth of her origins all along.

Which meant Jareth had known as well.


	9. Falling Down

Sarah was unsure what to expect as they traveled down the passageway. She wondered what other twisted horrors waited for them. However, her concerns soon turned to annoyance as they discovered that the path on which they traveled appeared endless. Sarah craned her neck and strained her eyes in search of any foreseeable end. 

“Do you see anything?” Hoggle asked.

Sarah shook her head, sliding her fingers across the stone walls. She wasn’t about to take anything for granted. The Labyrinth was full of surprises and hidden paths. She’d been fooled once before by a hidden entrance in plain sight and she was not about to make the same mistake twice.

“No,” she mumbled distractedly. “It just goes on and on.”

As Sarah continued to walk, she observed that the corridor was gradually becoming narrower. She had never been what you would call claustrophobic, but she couldn’t ignore how tight and cramped the path was starting to become. At one point, Sarah wondered if she would have to scale the stone walls to get out of the passage they were stuck in. She lifted her eyes and was discouraged to see the the stone walls appeared to melt into the sky above. Sarah sighed in frustration, continuing to maneuver her body down the narrowing corridor, creeping along slowly. At one point, she became wedged between the walls and the group had to back out so she could remove her backpack and give it to Sir Didymus for safekeeping..

“Ugh, I hate this Labyrinth!” Sarah griped as she painstakingly slid herself against the rough wall, pressing her hands to the opposite side so that she could inch herself along. 

“You ain’t the only one!” Hoggle huffed, struggling to make his way through the narrow path as well.

“Ambrosius, I fear the time has come to put you on a diet!” Sir Didymus grunted with exertion as he pushed  Ambrosius through the narrow passage. Ambrosius growled in response.

“How dare you take that tone with me, you ungrateful steed!” Sir Didymus snarled. “Why, I have half a mind to…”

“I see the end!” Sarah interrupted happily as a brightly lit opening suddenly appeared at the end of the corridor. An immense measure of relief washed over Sara.

“Oh, finally!” Hoggle huffed in relief. “I’m not sure I could’ve made it much further.”

“I’m...almost...there…” Sarah strained as she pulled herself along the wall. “I can almost reach it.” Sarah’s fingers reached for the immense brightness and kissed the sweet, fresh air of freedom. Excitement overwhelmed her and she grasped the edge of the entrance, wrenching herself through into the bright and awaiting sunlight. As she stepped out, the ground beneath her disappeared. Sarah felt the unforgivable pull of gravity as she was yanked down. She began to scream as she fell, her hands flailing wildly around her, desperately looking for anything to grab. Her frantic grasping hands snagged a hard, twisted vine. The force of Sarah’s weight caused her to slide down the dried, knotted plant until she skidded to a jerky halt. Her body collided with the wall, forcibly knocking the wind from her lungs. She panted, uncontrollable fear, pain and confusion sweeping through her. Her hands burned and complained, but she ignored them, clinging to the vine with all the strength she possessed. 

The shock of the fall had stripped Sarah of her ability to rationalize and it took a moment before she fully understood what had happened. She looked up to see the entrance of the passage had let out into a stomach shifting drop. Sarah scanned the wall for a ledge, using her feet to feel for any kind of solid mass to prop herself against. The search turned out to be futile as the stone wall was smooth with the exception of the dead plants and vines adorning it. Sarah finally coaxed herself into looking down and saw a dark forest looming far below her. It looked like a predator, waiting for her to fall so that it could devour her. 

“Help!” She wheezed, swaying on the vine, dangling precariously over what promised to be her doom.

“Sarah!” Hoggle shouted from the entrance several feet above her. Even though he must have known it was an impossible feat, Hoggle still reached out for her.  

“You can’t reach me!” Sarah cried out, looking around desperately for some kind of succor. 

“What do we do?” Hoggle called down. 

“I don’t know,” Sarah replied, her skin prickling with fear. Sweat had begun to bead on her forehead and she felt on the verge of panic.

She took in several, deep controlled breaths. “Okay,” she said, forcing herself to remain calm. “We just have to--”

The vine Sarah held to creaked menacingly and then gave way, dropping Sarah even further. Sarah yelped, clinging to the plant even though it was breaking. She came to another forceful halt. Her hands screamed in pain.

“Sarah!?!?” Hoggle’s frantic wail drifted down to her.

Sarah shuddered in fear, panting heavily. Slowly, she was able to force her eyes open to look up at a very concerned Hoggle. She had to swallow several times as her mouth had gone dry. 

“I’m okay,” she whispered shakily, which was a lie. She was very far from being okay.

“Hold fast, fair maiden!” Sir Didymus shouted over Hoggle. “We’ll save you! ...Somehow…”

Sarah nodded, afraid to make any other gestures. “Hurry,” she whined. As if to punish her for making a sound, the vine groaned again in protest of her weight.

“It’s slipping!” Sarah cried out despairingly.

“What do we do?!” Hoggle shrieked, concern and terror heavy in his voice.

“Seize another vine!” Sir Didymus commanded, positioning his body between the two walls and hiking himself up above Hoggle. “Lower it down to her. Perhaps we can pull her back up!”   
Hoggle nodded, stretching around the opening for a close vine. “I can’t grab it” Hoggle gasped.

“Allow me to try,” Sir Didymus said, reaching out as well.

Sarah watched them anxiously as they struggled to rescue her. That’s when she heard a snap that caused her stomach to twist into sickening knots. 

She pulled in a shuddered breath. “Hoggle…” 

The dwarf’s eyes met hers as the vine threaded and broke with one final snap.

“Sarah!” He shouted.

Sarah’s world fell out from under her as she tumbled away from the wall. She screamed as she dropped down into the dark unknown of the forest. She clawed the air frantically, but nothing was going to save her this time. 

Sarah felt the air rip at her sharply as it cascaded over her skin and tore through her hair. Her stomach rose to her throat and took up residence there. The wind stole away the very breath she needed to refill her lungs to scream again. Finally, an unsettling reality occurred to Sarah.

_ This is how I die, _ she thought.  _ This is how my story ends. How can it end like this? _

A powerful warm wind whipped over Sarah as she fell and it carried with it a voice.

_ “It is you who are the keeper of the Labyrinth _ ,” the voice echoed in her ears. “ _ Your power is greater than you could ever imagine.” _

Sarah gasped, recognizing the voice. 

_ Titania,  _ she thought.

Sarah closed her eyes and focused on the reassuring words. She understood the message Titania had sent to her.

_ I am the keeper of the Labyrinth,  _ Sarah recited to herself.  _ I have the power to control this place. Believe it. Believe in yourself! _

Sarah was finally able to draw in a deep breath. “I am the keeper of the Labyrinth!” She shouted. “I beseech you! Save me!” 

She spread her arms out beside her, as if stretching from a long sleep. A quiet calm began to spread throughout her body and she found a sense of peace despite the tumultuous situation in which she found herself. Without warning, another breath of warm wind enveloped Sarah and she felt her descent begin to slow. Gradually, Sarah came to a complete stop. She opened her eyes and saw that she remained suspended several feet above the ground. 

She let out a shuddered breath of relief followed by a bout of nervous laughter.  

“Oh, my God,” Sarah breathed as the warm wind began to ebb until she was gently laid upon the dark forest floor.

Sarah sat up and trembled, wiping the tears of relief that had sprung to her eyes. She was alive. The Labyrinth which had almost killed her had saved her. She pulled in a shaky breath and gazed about her surroundings. She appeared to be on the forest floor which was a soft spongy mass covered in rock and moss.

The ground beneath Sarah suddenly began to quake.

“What in the world…” Sarah gasped, scrambling quickly to her feet.  A bellowed growl followed the rumbling and Sarah stumbled, falling against the already raw palms of her hands. She braced herself for the pain, but it never came. Sarah blinked in surprise as she bounced off the ground. Her brow knitted with consternation as she tentatively pushed on the forest floor again. It retracted under her hand and then sprung back into place, reminding her of a child’s bounce house. It took Sarah only a second more to realize that the ground was unusually warm. Sarah pulled her hair back as she leaned in to get a closer look at the ground.

Upon further inspection, Sarah realized to her horror that she wasn’t on the forest floor at all. She was knelt on a gigantic creature which lay beside the cliff she had just fallen from. Sarah stood up, quickly surveying the ground beneath her, listening to gentle rumblings of the growl that began to slowly die out.

“It’s sleeping!” Sarah said to herself astounded. Just as the words left her mouth, the creature exhaled and Sarah could see pores open up through the moss like several tiny mouths. As the creature exhaled, Sarah was once again lifted up into the air, suspended delicately over the growth and foliage that had accumulated on the creature’s back.

“Saaaaaarrrrraaaaaaahhhhh!” A shrill voice floated down to her.

Sarah looked up the stone wall, unable to see her companions.

“Hoggle!” Sarah yelled. She looked down and hoped her shouts would not wake the creature. “Sir Didymus!” 

“Milady!” Sir Didymus called down in evident surprise. “Are you badly scathed?”

“No, I’m fine.” Sarah called up to them as she was once again gently lowered back down to the creature. This time, however, she landed on her feet. “Jump!”

“Are you MAD?!?” Hoggle shouted down shrilly.

“It’s okay!” Sarah shouted. “You’ll be fine.”

“Ain’t no way, no how!” Hoggle argued.

“Just do it!” Sarah yelled again, feeling the creature’s rumbling snore. To avoid being jostled, Sarah sat down and crossed her legs comfortably as she waited for her companions.

“Ambrosius, jump, you coward!” Sir Didymus scolded. “I said JUMP!”

“I ain’t gonna jump either!” Hoggle yelled. “You’re just gonna have to--- ARGHHHH!”

Sarah’s hand flew over her mouth to stifle her giggle as Hoggle came screaming and flailing down the cliffside.

“GERONIMO!” Sir Didymus screeched moments later as he and Ambrosius came flying off the cliff after Hoggle. Ambrosius let out an unholy, bloodcurdling wail all the way down while Sir Didymus laughed maniacally.

Just as Sarah had anticipated, the slumbering creature exhaled, levitating her once again and slowing the descent of her comrades.

“You VILE, SICK OLD FOX!” Hoggle shouted as soon as he was able to catch his breath. He kicked helplessly in the air. “I’m gonna rip your tail off and bludgeon you to death with your own spear!”

Sir Didymus cackled in crazy delight as the warm exhale of air slowly began to ebb and they were all planted safely on top of the creature’s back. 

Ambrosius promptly fell over, fainting from shock and fear. Hoggle clutched his chest breathing rapidly. Sir Didymus seemed thrilled by the trip they had just taken.

“Ho! I verily enjoyed that. How refreshing!” Sir Didymus exclaimed happily. “What an adventure!”

“Cor! YOU TRIED TO KILL ME! ARGH!” Hoggle growled as he dove for the old fox.

Sir Didymus growled and barked in response to the attack, easily dodging Hoggle’s sloppy advances.

“Come get some!” Sir Didymus challenged, striking Hoggle in the back of the leg with his spear.

Hoggle howled in pain and rage, stumbling about the soft surface in his hopeless attempts to catch the nimble fox.

They scampered and tripped over Ambrosius who had come to, but still lay panting on his side, his eyes wide with fear and surprise. Sara shook her head in amusement.

“That’s enough, Hoggle!” Sarah chided. “Sir Didymus, stop, please!”

They ignored her, continuing to chase and fight one another over the uneven terrain. The low rumbling of the creature’s snore finally stopped them. 

“Oh, great, what now?” Hoggle griped.

“It’s the creature. It’s sleeping. We need to get off it and to the forest floor.” Sarah explained, scooting herself across the mossy surface.

“Cr--creature?” Hoggle asked astounded, picking up his foot and examining the ground. “You mean, we’re not on the ground now?”

“My word!” Sir Didymus declared. “We are on top of a living being?”

“Yes, it was slumbering against the cliff wall,” Sarah answered. “When it exhaled, it suspended me in the air and brought me down gently The same thing happened with you guys.”

As if to prove her point, the creature began to exhale and they were all levitated in the air again. Hoggle cried out and thrashed violently against the invisible force.

“Calm down, Hoggle,” Sarah soothed. “It’s okay. It’ll be over in a second.”

Once they were sat down again, Hoggle began to hurriedly scurry along the creature, tripping and falling unnecessarily. Sarah cautiously scooted along in her sitting position while Sir Didymus used gentle, but insistent encouragement to coax Ambrosius along at a steady pace. Soon, Sarah found herself sliding off the creature and onto the hard, dark forest floor.

Sarah turned, appraising the beast that had saved her life. She stared at the massive animal. To the naked eye, it appeared to be a giant hill covered in rock, vine and moss that breathed with life.

“What is this thing?” Sarah wondered out loud.

“Cor!” Hoggle exclaimed. “It’s a Bufo!”

“A what?” Sarah asked.

“I thought they no longer inhabited the Labyrinth,” Hoggle continued. “I ain’t seen one in years!”   
“Nor have I,” Sir Didymus appended. “How ever did it end up here? And how did it come to be so massive in size?”

Sarah examined the creature closer and was shocked to discover that it began to resemble a giant toad the size of a house. It unnerved Sarah to think that she was the perfect size for a meal and Hoggle and Sir Didymus would be the perfect snack.

“What do you mean?” Sarah asked. “Are you they rare?”

“Very rare, indeed!” Sir Didymus announced. “They are said to bring good tidings and fortune to those whose paths they cross. I have never had the privilege of seeing one this mighty.”

Sir Didymus looked at Sarah. “Milady, you appear to be injured once again,” he said motioning to her hands. “Allow me tend to your wounds.” 

Sarah scoffed. “I’m going to end up as one large bandage after this is over.”

“You’re lucky that’s all you need,” Hoggle said contemplatively. “If this big fella hadn’t been here, you would’ve…” he trailed off as he looked at Sarah.

“I called him,” Sarah replied softly, still looking at the Bufo as Sir Didymus gently massaged the salve into Sarah’s palms before wrapping them with clean strips of cloth.

“What? How’d you do that?” Hoggle asked, giving Sarah an inquisitive look.

Sarah shook her head. There was too much to explain, but she didn’t want to leave her companions in the dark.

“When I was falling,” Sarah recounted. “I heard Titania’s voice. I heard her tell me that I was the Keeper of Labyrinth and I was more powerful than I knew. I beseeched the Labyrinth for help.” Sarah gestured to the Bufo with her newly bandaged hand. “This can’t be coincidence. This can’t just be luck.”

“Titania? You, uh, really believe her don’t you?” Hoggle asked.

Sarah nodded. “Yes, I do. There’s something about her that I can’t explain. I feel like there’s a connection between us.”

“Doesn’t it bother you that she knows so much about you?” Hoggle asked. “I don’t know how you can trust her when you don’t know nothin’ about her.”

“I don’t know why I trust her. I just do. It’s true, she does know a lot about me,” Sarah acknowledged. “I don’t know how she knows, but somehow she does.” Sarah smirked. “I doubt I’ll ever know because even if I get the chance to ask her, she’d probably only answer in a riddle.” 

“Humph, them’s fairies for ya,” Hoggle scoffed.

“All is well now, fair maiden,” Sir Didymus announced as he finished the wrap for Sarah’s other hand.

“Thank you,” Sarah said appreciatively. Sarah reflected on Hoggle’s words and reached up to grasp the small crystal vial that still hung around her neck. She pondered how Titania knew so much about her and how Jareth did as well.

“You appear troubled, milady,” Sir Didymus observed. “What ails thee?”

Sarah dropped the vial against her chest and crossed her arms. “It’s just...Jareth knew a lot about me, too.”

“That’s cause he watched you in your world,” Hoggle said. “As the owl.”

Sarah’s mouth dropped open as she stared at Hoggle. “What?”

Hoggle’s eyes opened wide in dismay. “I-er-uh-I thought you knew!”

Sarah shook her head, suddenly comprehending that the owl she always saw in the park was Jareth.

“I did know,” she mumbled. “I mean, I knew he turned into an owl. I remember that from the last time I saw him. I just didn’t put it together that he was the owl in the park. I didn’t realize he’d been watching me for so long.” Sarah gently rubbed her arms, careful not to displace the bandages on her hands. 

_ How long has Jareth known about me?  _ She wondered, chewing on her lip pensively.  _ Did he intentionally seek me out? If so, did he seek me out because of my Fae blood?  _  A ripple of dismay worked its way through her body.  _ Did he just want my magic? _

Sarah hated herself for the thought that crept into her mind, but it was something she couldn’t ignore. Jareth had discovered a young, naive, Fae blooded girl in the human world who knew nothing about Underground. He took her brother away at her request and then refused to give him back, forcing Sarah to complete the Labyrinth and testing her fortitude. Was it possible that Jareth had constructed the whole thing just to further his magic and his hold on the Labyrinth? Sarah could plainly see that her powers rivaled his when it came to the Labyrinth. It had bent to her will despite his oppressive magical influence. Now that it was free of his hold, the Labyrinth lived and breathed for Sarah. She was giving it life when before under Jareth’s rule, it was merely surviving. Was it possible that Jareth wanted to test her influence on the Labyrinth to truly see if her power rivaled his? He had called it his Labyrinth when Sarah had first come to Underground, but she knew now that the Labyrinth was far older than that and Jareth had only come to be its most recent master.

“What if,” Sarah started, the words sticking painfully in her throat as a knot of sorrow began to form. “What if Jareth was trying to use me? Use my love to gain better control of the Labyrinth? What if his proclamations of love were only meant to lure me in so that his magic would grow stronger?”

Hoggle noticeably jerked at the words.

“Hoggle, do you know something?” Sarah asked as she noticed the dwarf’s uncomfortableness. 

Hoggle kicked the ground, shrugging his shoulders. “I don’t know nothin’ about that.”

Sarah bent down so that she was close to him. “You were kind of close to him. You knew of his plans. Tell me the truth, Hoggle. Did he intend to use me?”

Hoggle shifted his gaze up to Sarah, an indiscernible sadness reflected in his eyes. “I don’t know what he planned to do with you and that’s the truth. I just know I didn’t want him to hurt you and he could’ve without a second thought. But he didn’t.”

Sarah nodded, not overly satisfied with the explanation Hoggle had given her.

“Pardon, milady, but did you not say that the Goblin King gave you powers?” Sir Didymus recanted. “Does it not say that in your book?” He asked, patting her backpack. 

Sarah shook her head. “Titania told me to remember that the story in my book had already been written and played out; that I was writing my own story. I think she was telling me that I shouldn’t rely on that story for answers. I should look to my own heart. And my heart tells me that Jareth lied about giving me powers.”

“Why would he do such a thing?” Sir Didymus asked.

“Because he’s a brute,” Hoggle remarked snidely.

“To keep me from knowing that the powers I possessed came from within me,” Sarah explained.

“Humans have great power?” Sir Didymus asked, genuinely surprised.

Sarah sighed. “No, not like this. I think Jareth didn’t want me to know something about myself. Something he had discovered long before he brought me to the Labyrinth.”

“What’s that?” Hoggle asked.

“I’m part Fae,” Sarah confessed.

“Verily?” Sir Didymus gasped. 

“You are?” Hoggle asked astounded. 

Sarah ran her fingers through her hair, immediately regretting the gesture as the bandages caught and pulled at the strands. She exhaled forcibly. “I just found out. I needed time to think before I told you guys.”

Hoggle fidgeted nervously and Sir Didymus scratched his head.

“Does this change our mission?” Sir Didymus asked.

Sarah leaned up against a tree, reclining her head and closing her eyes. “I don’t know.”

“I suppose the real question is, does this change how you feel about Jareth?” Hoggle interjected.

Sarah swallowed hard, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She couldn’t deny the hurt she felt at the thought of being manipulated and used. However, it was unfair of her to jump to any rash conclusions. Jareth deserved the opportunity to give her a proper explanation. Sarah thought back to the kiss they shared. She couldn’t deny the affection she had felt from him seemed absolutely genuine. He had beheld her as if she were the only thing in his world, as if he  _ hungered _ for her. Sarah fretted with the bandages on her hand. Jareth had looked at her like that once before. She had seen it in his eyes when he’d offered her everything she had ever dreamed of after she had solved the Labyrinth. She remembered the sorrow and desolation in his eyes when she proclaimed he had no power over her. She recalled how his crystal ball had shattered.

_ Just like his heart, _ she thought grimly.

No amount of reasoning could make Sarah deny the truth that she knew deep down inside her own heart. Despite her revelations, she did still love Jareth and she wanted nothing more than to give him a chance to prove her misgivings about him wrong. A deep ache of longing began to fill her chest as she realized she wanted nothing more than to leap into his arms and discover the love she so coveted. The love he had promised her all those years ago. 

“No, it doesn’t,” Sarah finally answered wistfully, swiping away the tears that had begun to fall from her eyes. “I can’t give up now. No matter what, I won’t give up. Even if I’m right about Jareth and he did use me, this is still something I have to do. For everyone,” she set her sad gaze upon her friends. “For you.”

“You owe us naught,” Sir Didymus argued.

Sarah raised her hand to silence him. “I am indebted to both of you for everything; for your loyalty, your kindness, your friendship.” Sarah managed a weak smile. “I won’t let you down now.”

“We’re with you, Sarah,” Hoggle said, reaching up and patting her arm. “Until the end.”

“Until the end,” Sir Didymus echoed.

She nodded, looking around the dark forest. It seemed more foreboding than it ever had before.

“Then we continue forward. The Fireys live somewhere within these woods,” Sarah said softly. “We should find them before it gets too dark.”

“Yeah,” Hoggle whispered nervously as his eyes darted about. “We don’t wanna be out here after dark.”

“Are you alright, milday?” Sir Didymus asked.

“I will be,” Sarah assured him as she took off down the dark path that led into the mouth of the forest.

Sarah didn’t know if what she said was true. She had no idea if she would be alright. Her thoughts drifted back to Jareth as she and her companions navigated the treacherous woods. She hoped for her sake that she was wrong about Jareth and that when she liberated him that he would assuage her ridiculous fears. She hoped that by saving him she was not daming herself.


	10. Stranger 'Til Now

Sarah listened intently for the the songs of the Fire Gang in a futile effort to distract herself from the gloomy thoughts that kept barging into her mind. The last remnants of sunlight lazily filtered through the dense trees of the forest, casting ominous shadows across the forest floor. Sarah was grateful that the twilight seemed to last a long time in the Labyrinth. They had already spent a good amount of time in the forest and she worried what would happen when the light finally ebbed into darkness.  

“Do you guys hear anything? Anything at all?” Sarah asked, endeavoring to keep her voice from sounding too forlorn.

“No,” Hoggle sighed. “I don’t hear nothin’.”

“Do you suppose they have fled?” Sir Didymus asked dismally.

Sarah pulsed with alarm at the thought. She hadn’t taken that possibility into consideration.

“Oh, I hope not,” she breathed. She turned and looked around her, walking backwards as she did. She assessed the steadily fading light.

“Maybe we should try to find a safe place to stay for the night,” she muttered. “I’d hate to run into...Hey!” Sarah exclaimed fearfully as something grabbed her ankle. She jumped and kicked violently at her unseen captor.

“What?!?! What is it?” Hoggle yelped shrilly, scrambling up to the top of a large rock for safety.

“Let go!” Sarah yelled, bending down and prying the iron grip from her ankle.

“Hey, watch it!” A squeaky voice scolded as the firm grip released her ankle.

Sarah stopped her violent dance, stumbling back in surprise and landing on her bottom. “What? Who said that? Where are you?”

“Down here,” the squeaky voice replied.

Sarah cautiously leaned forward and crawled over to a thick pile of leaves. They appeared to be the source of the voice. She delicately brushed the dead leaves and foliage away, revealing tufts of bright orange and white fur.

“Oh!” Sarah gasped as the dismembered head of a Firey writhed underneath her hand, its eyes rolling around to peer up at her.

“You should watch where you be steppin,’ lady.” The disembodied head chastised. “It’s not polite to tread on people.”

“I-I’m sorry,” Sarah stammered, flabbergasted. “I didn’t know you were there.”

Hoggle crept to the edge of his rock to peek down at the Firey. “How was she supposed to know you’d be down there?” Hoggle defended Sarah. “It’s not like we could see you.”

“May I inquire as to why you are buried under the forest floor?” Sir Didymus ventured.

“Yeah,” Hoggle echoed. “What’re you doin’ down there, anyway?”

“We’ve been down here a long time,” another squeaky voice answered from underneath Ambrosius.

Ambrosius’ eyes widened and he yelped in sheer terror as he leapt straight up into the air, effectively dislodging Sir Didymus from his back. As Sir Didymus bounced on the ground, Ambrosius streaked for the nearest tree and cowered behind it.

“Ambrosius!” Sir Didymus scolded. “How dare thee? Come back here before I lose my temper!”

Ambrosius peeked out from behind the tree, visibly quaking in terror.

“Return this instant,” Sir Didymus ordered. “There’s nothing to fear. “‘Tis merely another Firey buried and dismembered under the ground.”

Sarah flinched at the description. Sir Didymus was certainly not one for pep talks.

“How long have you been like this?” Sarah asked, wondering how many scattered remains she had tramped upon.

“Ever since the mean Queen came,” a gravelly voice answered to her right.

Hoggle clambered down from his rock. “The mean Queen? You mean Euryale?”

“That’s her,” another voice said directly under Hoggle. Hoggle jumped, teetering unsteadily on his feet as he danced away from the Firey he stood on.

“Ah! Pardon me!” Hoggle yelped, flustered.

“S’alright,” the buried Firey replied.

“What did she do to you?” Sarah asked perplexed as she began to dig up the leaves and soil from around the head in front of her.

“She killed our brother,” the head said dismally, closing his eyes. “Poor Clash.”

“Poor Clash,” the others echoed sorrowfully.

Sarah’s mouth dropped open. “That’s horrible,” she murmured sympathetically as fresh memories of the shield brothers began to resurface. Sarah gently raised the Firey’s head out of the hole in the ground. “I’m so very sorry for your loss.”

“Ah, it’s not your fault, lady,” the Firey chattered. Sarah’s stomach churned and she cringed as the disembodied head spoke to her. She didn’t like the idea of holding a chatting head and feeling it move against her. She quickly stood and placed it on the rock Hoggle had claimed earlier.

“Thanks, lady, that’s much better.” The head remarked, rolling and blinking its crazy eyes several times.

“You’re welcome,” Sarah said, resisting the urge to rub her palms on her pants. She was thankful that her hands had been bandaged. It had helped reduce the amount of movement she’d felt from the head when it had spoken.

“Can you tell us what happened here?” Sarah asked, attempting to retain an air of sensitivity to the Fireys plight despite her past dealings with the crazy creatures.

“It’s a sad story,” the Firey said mournfully. “We lost our brother. The mean Queen killed him. He’s there.”

The Firey rolled his eyes around and Sarah followed his gaze. A pile of rock and rubble lay a short distance away.

“Where? I don’t see--” Sarah’s words cut off as she realized why she was looking at the pile of broken rock. A sickly kind of realization dawned on her as Sarah began recognizing the fragmented stone pieces. She was looking at the shattered remains of a Firey.

“She turned him to stone,” Sarah gasped, horrified. Her skin prickled with unease. “Then she destroyed him.”

The head nodded awkwardly, nearly tumbling off the rock it was perched upon. “Clash was our leader. Without him, no more Fire Gang.”

“No more Fire Gang,” the other Fireys echoed. “No more chilly down.”

“We’ll just wait for the forest to take us now,” the Firey head told Sarah. “We got no reason left to live.”

“Wait, what?” Sarah blustered. “How can you say that? Your brother gets murdered and all you can do is fall apart? You’re just going to give up?” Bewilderment coarsed through Sarah. “You’re just going to let her get away with this?”

“What’re we supposed to do, lady?” The Firey asked. “Without Clash we got nothin’. No more chilly down. No more Fire Gang.”

“No!” Sarah shouted sternly. “You can’t just give up! You can’t let it end like this! We have to stop Euryale before she destroys the Labyrinth.” Sarah stooped down in front of the Firey, looking straight into its crazy eyes. “I can’t do that without you. I need your help.”

“Why our help?” The Firey inquired, struggling to focus its rolling eyes on Sarah.

“I-I don’t know,” Sarah stammered truthfully.

“Then why are you here?” The Firey asked.

“I was sent here by Titania, the Fairy Queen, to find you and your brothers,” Sarah confessed. “She believed you could help us.”

“Oh,” the Firey murmured. “Fairy Queen don’t know ‘bout Clash. Without Clash, we got no leader.”

“But don’t you want to avenge him?” Sarah entreated desperately. “Don’t you want to make things right?”

“Ain’t nothin’ we can do, lady,” the Firey replied. “We just pieces now.”

“You’re still alive!” Sarah retorted. “I am offering you the chance to avenge your brother, to try and set things right in the Labyrinth. I’m asking you and your remaining brothers for your help. Please.”

The Firey head sighed in reply, ignoring Sarah’s request.

“What can I do to convince you guys to pull yourselves together? There must be something I can do to help.” Sarah reasoned.

The Firey rolled his eyes and then closed them. “There’s nothin’, lady. It’s too late for us.”

Sarah groaned in frustration, casting a remorseful look at Hoggle and Sir Didymus. “What are we going to do?”

Hoggle shook his head. “I don’t know, Sarah.”

“Milady, perhaps we should--Ambrosius, stop digging up that Firey! Why is it when I turn my back, you always end up with something in your mouth?” Sir Didymus ranted.

“That’s it,” Sarah chirped brightly. “Hoggle, Sir Didymus, we need to put them back together. Help me find their, uh, body parts.” Sarah grimaced at the thought of such a macabre treasure hunt, but was more than willing to participate in the activity if it gave the Fireys the ambition to live again.

“Cor!” Hoggle muttered unhappily, digging through the fallen foliage. “Why is it always us? Can’t we ever get a break?”

Sarah shook her head, bending down to pick up the dislodged hand that had grasped her ankle earlier, placing it by the Fireys head on the rock.

“Tell me about it,” Sarah griped as she and the others continued to dig up pieces of the Fireys.   
“Well met, Ambrosius,” Sir Didymus chattered. “I am sorry I used such a harsh tongue with you. The fair maiden approves of your wondrous idea.”

Sarah chuckled, wishing she could be as upbeat as Sir Didymus was. He always seemed to bounce back from any situation with a never fail attitude and Sarah appreciated his candor. Sarah glanced over to see Hoggle diligently tossing fallen vines and branches from the Firey he dug up. She smiled to herself, grateful for the two friends who stayed dutifully by her side.

After only a few moments of working to exhume her own Firey, Sarah came across a disheveled torso.

“Is this you?” She asked the head on the rock, pointing to the body.

The head sleepily opened its eyes, appraising the body as Sarah struggled to pull from the ground.

“Oh, you found my body!” the Firey exclaimed. “I’d forgotten how bad hep my body was!”

Sarah cocked an eyebrow at the head, but decided it was better not to ask questions she may not want to know the answer to. Sarah lifted the cold, stiff torso from the ground. She cringed as a growing feeling of disgust filled her. The body felt as if she were handling raw, dead meat. It had a faint odor of decay around it and Sarah couldn’t prop it up against the rock fast enough. She shuddered, wiping the dirt and leaves from her shirt and torn cardigan.

“Okay,” Sarah breathed. “I’m going to put your head back on your body. Ready?” She delicately picked up the Firey head, working to situate it on the torso.

“Do you have a name?” Sarah asked, trying to distract herself from a task only Victor Frankenstein would be adept at.

“Of course I do,” the Firey replied, causing Sarah to immediately regret asking as she felt the Firey’s mouth move against her palm.

She quickly stuffed the head on the torso and felt a little sick as she was almost certain she heard an audible click as the head connected with its body.   

“I’m Augie,” the Firey answered. “Wow, thanks, lady! That’s much better!”

“You’re welcome,” Sarah said, relieved she was no longer holding his head. She stood up and reached for Augie’s discarded hand. “What about your brothers?”

“Hmm, that’s Jojul,” Augie said, motioning with his hand in Sarah’s to the head Hoggle had just unearthed. Sarah felt queasy as the cold, stiff limb writhed in her hand.

“Ugh!” Sarah murmured, fighting against her revulsion as she quickly placed the hand beside Augie.

“Nice to see you!” Jojul cackled maniacally as Hoggle held him. Sarah observed that this Firey appeared to have a white moustache.

“Uh, you, too, I guess,” Hoggle muttered, quickly setting the head down. Sarah got the feeling that Hoggle didn’t like carrying around a chattering head anymore than she did.

“And who might this stout fellow be?” Sir Didymus inquired as he struggled to excavate the head of a larger Firey, grunting and groaning with exertion as he did.

“Who you calling ‘stout’, ya shrimp?” The head chided.

“Pardon my observation, but there does seem to be an abundance of you!” Sir Didymus growled in reply as Ambrosius happily dug out the torso that belonged to the larger Firey, pulling it out with considerable effort as well.

“Oh, that’s Bodkin,” Augie called out. “He’s big ‘cause likes bad food.”

“Hey!” Bodkin complained. “So do you!”

“Not as much as you,” Augie retorted. “Then there’s Krew, wherever he is.”

“Right here!” Krew announced in a muffled tone, still covered in dirt and leaves.

Sarah nodded. “Good to know. Okay, let’s get you all back together.”

“Ah, what’s the point?” Augie asked, slumping against the rock Sarah had leaned him against. “Clash is gone. No more Fire gang.”

“Tell me exactly what happened here,” Sarah demanded as she bent down to uncover and retrieve Augie’s discarded appendages.

“The mean Queen, she came!” Krew announced loudly as Ambrosius began to dig the soil out from around him.

“She didn’t want to play by the rules,” Bodkin stated.

“She sent her pets to burn us,” Jojul added.

“But we’re Fireys,” Augie finished. “We’re made of fire!” As if to prove his point, Augie’s hand burst into flames just as Sarah was reaching for it.

Sarah yelped and jumped away. The Fireys laughed raucously at her fright and she scowled unhappily at them.

Sarah sighed, annoyed with the creatures already. “Euryale’s Chimera couldn’t burn you, but could they harm you with their venom?”

“Nope!” Augie boasted happily. “They tried, but we took off they’s heads.”

“But then they’re heads wouldn’t go back on,” Jojul reflected.

“The mean Queen said we killed them!” Bodkin exclaimed.

“We were just playing our wild games, honest!” Krew interjected.

“Clash tried to talk to her, to get her to play,” Augie said. “But she put her wicked gaze on him and he turned to stone!”

“How did the rest of you survive?” Sarah asked, her head spinning from hearing each Firey relay pieces of the story.

“We swallowed our eyes,” Bodkin answered matter-of-factly. “She can’t turn us to stone if we can’t sees her.”

“Then we ran away,” Jojul explained.

“The mean Queen left, but not before destroying Clash,” Augie sighed.

“She hit Clash with her tail, made him rubble,” Krew finished. “Poor Clash.”

“Poor Clash,” the other Firey’s lamented in unison.

Sarah finished building Augie and went over to help Sir  Didymus finish with Bodkin. Sarah struggled to lift the torso into a sitting position. He really was quite heavy. As Sarah positioned Bodkin’s head, she noticed that Hoggle was nearly finished with Jojul and Ambrosius had unearthed all the pieces of Krew.

“But you’re still here!” Sarah argued as she began to assemble Krew. “Don’t you want to avenge your brother and stop this from happening again?”

“Fireys need a leader,” Augie contended. “Without Clash, no Fire Gang.”

“So, what? You’re just going to sit there and fall apart again?” Sarah balked, astonished.

“We can’t chilly down without Clash,” Bodkin replied.

“What’s the point?” Krew asked after Sarah reattached his head.

I don’t believe this!” Sarah shouted, looking around at the nearly reassembled Fireys. “You can’t give up! You can’t let her get away with killing your brother. You have to fight back!”

“Says you, lady,” Augie sneered. “Who’re you anyway?”

“Who am I?” Sarah asked, seizing the opportunity to inspire the Fireys. She straightened her shoulders and raised her chin defiantly. “I am Sarah,” she announced prominently. “I have been sent here to claim what is rightfully mine with the magic that flows through my veins and to bring this pandemonium to an end. I will restore order to the Labyrinth and liberate all of you from the tyranny of Euryale’s reach!” She stood in front of the Fireys, proud of herself for the conviction she had woven into her words.

“Say what now?” Jojul asked, scratching his head.

“Did you understand that?” Krew asked, turning his head lazily to Bodkin.

“Nope, didn’t understand any of it.” Bodkin replied as he munched on some kind of food that he must have had hidden close by. Sarah only dared to venture a guess as to what the food actually was.

“Use simple words, lady,” Augie jeered.

Sarah rolled her eyes. “I’m the Keeper of the Labyrinth and I’m here to stop Euryale and save the Goblin King.” She recited blandly.

“Oh!” The Fireys wondered in unison. “The Keeper?”

Sarah smiled, feeling a sense of pride swell within her. Perhaps now she had finally gotten through to the Fireys and the announcement of her status would be enough to get them back on their feet.

“So what?” Krew jibed

“What’s that got to do with us?” Jojul asked snidely.

“Yeah, why should we care?” Bodkin inquired rudely with his mouth full. Ambrosius whined as he saw Bodkin grab another piece of food from the pouch that was hidden in the folds of his fur. Bodkin tore a piece of his food off and tossed it to Ambrosius, who quickly scarfed it down.

Anger boiled through Sarah as her confidence quickly deflated with their mocks and apathetic comments. She fleetingly considered grabbing a branch and seeing how far she could knock each of their heads..

“You should care!” she retorted, flustered. “The Labyrinth is your home. You used to sing, dance and play all day and night in these woods. Now you’ve been relegated to meaningless piles of limbs. It’s time to fight back! It’s time to take back the Labyrinth from the mean Queen and show her that you will not be tread upon.”

The Fireys sighed, unaffected by Sarah’s speech. Sarah ground her teeth in frustration. Every time she thought she’d found a way to inspire them, they quickly and effectively cut her down.

“What do I have to do to get through to you?” Sarah yelled, gesticulating wildly with her hands.

“Ah, just leave us be, lady,” Augie murmured, closing his eyes. “We ain’t doin’ nothin’ without Clash.”

Sarah dropped her hands to her side, throwing a forlorn glance to Hoggle and Sir Didymus. She was out of ideas and her growing anger seethed through her mind, clouding her ability to reason.  

“What’re we gonna do?” She whispered, dropping down to the forest floor. She was suddenly very exhausted and wanted nothing more than to just be able to curl up in a nice, comfortable bed and fall into a fitful sleep.

Hoggle came up beside Sarah, resting his hand comfortingly on her shoulder. “I don’t think they’re gonna help us.”

“Yes, they do seem rather content to just remain as they are,” Sir Didymus concurred.

Sarah shook her head violently. “They can’t! This isn’t a game. Euryale won’t stop until she--” Sarah’s voice dropped off as an idea formed in her mind. She hoped her tactic would work. She turned to the Fireys.

“Okay, fine,” Sarah said, throwing up her hands in defeat. “Stay here to fall apart and rot,” she taunted ruthlessly. “The mean Queen wins the game and you guys lose. I never expected the Fire Gang to give up so easily.” She shook her head in disappointment.

“What’re you saying, lady?” Augie inquired, his crazy eyes rolling open and studying Sarah.

She shrugged. “I just thought you guys had rules to the game. I mean, she did cheat after all, but you just seem content to let her get away with it.” Sarah stood. “Now, I know that if I were in the game, I wouldn’t let a cheater win.”

The Fireys stirred and began to mutter to one another.

“Rules is rules,” Krew muttered.

“You gots to obey the rules to play the game,” Jojul agreed.

Sarah began to pace between their bodies as she continued her speech.

“And it is against those rules to turn someone to stone and break them!” Sarah declared loudly, turning and pointing to Clash’s remains. “But you all fell apart and the mean Queen won the game.” Sarah clicked her tongue. “I guess the fabled Fire Gang isn’t as good at the wild games as I was led to believe.”

“That’s not fair!” Bodkin shouted. “We’re the best at wild games.”

Sarah shrugged again, sucking in a breath through her teeth. “I don’t know,” she said with an exaggerated tone. “I’m convinced that you guys don’t even really know how to chilly down at all.”

This elicited a violent reaction from the Fireys as they heckled and berated Sarah for her remark.

“Sarah!” Hoggle hissed. “What’re you doing?” He asked, giving her a confused look. Sarah winked at him.

“You don’t know nothin’, lady!” Augie growled.

“I know that you let Euryale win!” Sarah shouted back. “You let her take everything from you and you just gave up! You didn’t even try to play the game!”

The Fireys stared at her in surprise. Sarah swallowed hard, taking in shallow breaths as she studied the Fireys. Her nerves tremored in anticipation of their response. She was both furious and anxious at the same time. It was not a pleasant feeling.

“Well, she _did_ cheat,” Augie finally muttered. “And she did kill Clash.”

“That’s right!” Sarah urged. “You all deserve a chance to even the score.”

“But we can’t play no more!” Krew argued.

“Without Clash, we got no leader,” Jojul said.

“Yeah,” Bodkin grumbled. “How does she expect us to play with no leader?”

“May I have a moment to clarify something?” Sir Didymus interrupted. “Are you saying that the only reason you are no longer able to participate in the game is because you merely lack leadership?”

“That’s what we’ve been saying this whole time!” Jojul huffed.

“Weren’t you listening?” Krew asked snidely.

“Seriously?” Sarah barked, her anger and exasperation nearly consuming her. She closed her eyes and took in several deep breath in hopes to quell the fury that rose within her.

_You need them,_ she tried to convince herself. _Don’t wish them into the Bog._

Sarah opened her eyes, feeling slightly more composed. “Fine, if you guys need a leader, then I volunteer to be your leader.”

The Fireys gawked at Sarah in silence before erupting into a disorderly argument.

“How can you be our leader?” Bodkin asked.

“Yeah, your head don’t even come off!” Krew argued.

“We could take off her head, make her like us!” Jojul suggested.

“Great idea! I think I know where a saw is!” Augie suggested helpfully.

“No!” Sarah snapped. “We are _not_ doing that.”

“Aw, come on, little lady, don’t you wanna be like us?” Bodkin pestered.

“Yeah, what’s wrong with us?” Krew added petulantly.

“I think she’s too good to take off her pretty lil’ head,” Jojul quipped.

“Ain’t none of us too good for that,” Augie scoffed.

“You wanna be leader, you gots to lose your head!” Bodkin stated.

“You gots to get wild in order to chilly down like us,” Krew scolded. “How you expect to do that when you don’t wanna lose your head?”

Sarah pressed her hands to her ears in an effort to block out the incessant chattering. The Fireys were giving her a splitting headache and she truly wondered if she asked the Labyrinth to drop them into the bog if it would actually happen. However improbable, the thought was awfully tempting.

“What makes you so special?” Augie asked, speaking over the others. “Why should you be leader?”

“Well, no one else is offering now are they?” Sarah griped, annoyed beyond measure.

“If anything, I should be leader,” Augie grumbled.

“Then why don’t you be leader?” Sarah demanded, nearly on the verge of screaming.

“Because… well… I...guess I never thought of it,” Augie confessed.

Sarah growled in frustration. “Fine,” she relented. “Then you be the damn leader!”

Augie blinked in confusion and surprise. “Um-uh-okay! I accept!”

The other Fireys whistled and shouted words of approval.  
“Way to go!” Krew yelled.

“To our new leader!” Bodkin cried as he stuffed more food in his mouth.

“I voted for you!” Jojul claimed.

Sarah shook her head, endeavoring to contain her anger. “Alright! It’s decided. How about it, Fire Gang?  Are you ready to get up and take back your lives?”

The Fireys quieted down quickly, mumbling undecidedly and incoherently. They had once again become completely unanimated, drastically losing their earlier zeal.

Sarah sighed, slapping her hands together to get their attention. She grimaced in pain, immediately regretting the motion as her bandaged hands were still raw from the vine burn. “Fire Gang! Are you ready to chilly down?”

The Fireys looked at Sarah, hope and signs of life reigniting behind their eyes once again. Slowly, Augie began to rise up, testing his limbs.

Auggie started tapping his foot. “Yeah, I think I’m ready to be a wild child again!”

“Glow-glow, baby,” Krew crowed, jumping to his feet.

“Good times and bad food,” Bodkin announced, joining Krew on his feet.

“With the chilliest bunch in the land!” Jojul shouted, rising beside his brothers.

Sarah sighed in relief. “Thank God.” She turned to Augie. “How about it, Augie? Are you ready to lead this rowdy crew?”

“You know it!” Augie cheered, jumping up and down, his head disconnecting and hovering over his torso as his ears rapidly flapped to keep his head floating. “Hey fellas, can ya dig?”

“Yow!” Bodkin screeched, grabbing two sticks and tapping out a tempo.

“The Fire Gang’s back!” Krew shouted, dancing to the beat Bodkin laid down.

“Cause when things get tough, even down looks up, chilly down with Fire gang!” Jojul started singing.

“Whoa, whoa, okay, okay,” Sarah interrupted, raising her hands to the Fireys. “‘I’m relieved to see you guys back in action, but I have a favor to ask of you.”

“Anything, lady,” Augie said. “You got the Fire Gang jammin’ again.”

“I need you guys to seek out Titania, the fairy Queen, and wait with her in the fairy thicket until I return from the heart of the Labyrinth with the Goblin King’s pendant. Then we will storm what remains of the castle beyond the Goblin City and take back the throne from the Gorgon Queen and avenge your brother.”

“You got it, lady,” Augie agreed. “But how you gonna make it to the heart of the Labyrinth?”

The question caught Sarah off guard. “I… I don’t know. I don’t even know how to get there.” She confessed.

“You’re the Keeper, ain’t you?” Krew asked.

“How don’t you know how to get there?” Jojul inquired.

“You’d think the Keeper would know,” Bodkin jabbed.

“Hey, I’m kind of new to this, so give me a break,” Sarah snapped brusquely, highly offended.

“Don’t she know?” Krew asked.

“Know what?” Sarah inquired.

“She don’t know!” Jojul exclaimed and the Fireys cackled, as if enjoying a private joke.

“Know what?!” Sarah demanded as the Fireys wore on the last of her already raw nerves.

“The heart of the Labyrinth is a cold place,” Augie answered. He popped off his hand and offered it to Sarah. “Here, lady, you’ll need this.”

Sarah cringed, reluctantly reaching for the hand. “I don’t understand. Why do I need your hand?”

“You need to command fire in order to melt the frozen locks.” Augie explained.

“Command fire?” Sarah asked as an unsettling realization seized her. “That’s why she brought the Chimera,” Sarah uttered.

“What was that, milady?” Sir Didymus inquired.

Sarah turned to her companions. “The Chimera breathe fire! Euryale must have somehow known that the heart of the Labyrinth was guarded by the cold and ice. It can’t just be coincidence.”

“How do you suppose she would have obtained that information?” Sir Didymus asked.

Sarah bit her lip, knowing that the details had to have come from Jareth. She refused to let herself think of the agony he must have endured at the Gorgon Queen’s hand to give up such valuable information.

“Jareth?” Sarah ventured uneasily.

“Why would the Goblin King tell the mean Queen where the heart of the Labyrinth is?” Augie interjected. “Wouldn’t he want to keep it hidden from her no matter what?”

“I-I would have thought so,” Sarah stammered. “It’s the only thing I can think of that makes any sense.” Her brows knitted together in consternation. “But the time doesn’t add up.”

“What do you mean?” Hoggle asked.

“Euryale already had her Chimera with her when she attacked the Labyrinth, right?” Sarah asked.

Hoggle and Sir Didymus nodded in agreement.

“So, how did she know about the frozen locks at the heart of the Labyrinth before she arrived?” Sarah asked. “I don’t know, maybe it is just coincidence,” Sarah mumble as if trying to convince herself. “I just feel like I’m missing something.”

“Can we assist you somehow?” Sir Didymus asked.

“I just have to think on this,” Sarah pondered. “It makes sense that Euryale is reptilian and cannot withstand the cold, therefore she needed minions that could cut through the ice that guards the heart of the Labyrinth with fire.”

“So, Euryale sent her pets to hunt for the heart.” Sir Didymus surmised. “That is, until you arrived and she began hunting you, milady.”

“Yeah,” Sarah grumbled unhappily. “Lucky me.” She turned to Augie, abandoning her train of thought to revisit another time. “Do you know how to reach the heart of the Labyrinth?”

Augie shook his head. “No, I only know that it’s a cold, dark place, locked away from all love and light.”

Sarah swallowed hard. She couldn’t deny the irony of Jareth’s pendant and the heart of the Labyrinth being sealed away in a place so cold that the warmth of love could never reach them. Sarah fretted again with indecisiveness. Had she truly broken the Goblin King’s heart as she had initially suspected? Was he so grievously injured by her rejection that he had sealed a part of himself away in the deepest, coldest place in the Labyrinth to protect his heart from ever feeling such pain again? Was he really a victim instead of a villain? Or was it simply the best hiding place for the last traces of his magic?

Sarah hated the contradicting thoughts that bounced through her mind. She couldn’t decide whether Jareth had orchestrated the whole ordeal as an elaborate way to claim her magic for himself or if he was merely another injured party and the events that followed were simply the unfortunate circumstances of an unrequited love.

Sarah sighed, her thoughts still careening tumultuously through her head. She turned to Ambrosius, tucking Augie’s hand inside her backpack.

“How you gonna find the heart?” Krew asked curiously.

Sarah shrugged, zipping her bag closed. “I don’t know, but I was looking for you guys and I found you. So, I know I’ll find the heart of the Labyrinth.” She stood up, glancing at each of the Fireys intently. “And I will stop the mean Queen. I promise.”

“Good luck, lady,” Augie said, offering her his stubby arm. “Oops,” he muttered, switching hands to give her a thumbs up.

Sarah chuckled at the ludicrousness of the creature. “Thanks. Good luck to you as well.”

“Come on, gang!” Augie cried. “To the fairy thicket!”

“See you in fairy land!” Bodkin sang out.

“Where we’ll get chilly down with Fire Gang!” Jojul sang. The others cackled maniacally and began singing loudly as they bounced and rolled through the forest. Sarah shook her head, feeling sorry for Titania as the song from the Fireys rang through the dark forest.

“Very well handled, milady,” Sir Didymus commended.

“I didn’t think they were ever going to get up,” Hoggle commented, clearly impressed with Sarah’s tenacity. “Nice job.”

“Thank you,” Sarah said appreciatively. She scanned the woods and an icy chill of dread crawled up her spine. They had been so preoccupied with the Fireys that she hadn’t noticed the sun had completely disappeared.

“It’s nighttime,” she muttered.

As if to signal her observation, a ravenous howl cut through the air and Sarah’s blood ran cold with fear.

Hoggle and Sir Didymus froze as the howl reached them. Ambrosius whined and pushed against Sarah for safety. Sarah gasped as she recognized the howl. She didn’t know how, but somehow she inexplicably knew the creature that hunted them was the same one that had tasted her blood. The creature howled again, the lament of a dire, hungry predator. It was not hunting all of them. All it wanted was her.

“Run,” Sarah whispered fervently. “Run, now!”


	11. I'll Be There For You

Sarah crashed through the trees, the limbs ruthlessly snagging at her nearly decimated cardigan.

“Move!” She hissed, ushering Hoggle along faster. He picked up the pace, but didn’t move as quickly as Sarah would have liked. Ambrosius, however, needed no such coaxing. Sarah had already lost sight of him and Sir Didymus. In fact, Ambrosius had begun to dash out ahead of them before Sir Didymus had even mounted him.

“I’m running as fast as I can!” Hoggle complained, trying to hop over a fallen tree.

Sarah reached down to help Hoggle over the obstacle when another vicious howl cut through the air, freezing them both in place. The skin on Sarah’s arm prickled in response to the sound. This time it was much closer.

Hoggle’s face drained of color. “But I think I could run faster!”

Icy tendrils of fear continued to snake their way through Sarah’s veins and down her body. Her mouth went dry as she struggled to speak. “I think that would be a good idea.”

Once again, they found themselves racing haphazardly through the forest. Sarah couldn’t be sure in her state of hysteria, but she felt as if she were being watched as she hurtled herself over moss covered rocks and broken branches.

“Do you see Didymus?” Sarah panted as she ran.

“No!” Hoggle whined worriedly.

“They were just ahead of us,” Sarah cast a glance behind her as she ran. “Maybe they…” Sarah struck a solid mass and was jarred backwards..

She struck the forest floor with the flat of her shoulders first, her head bouncing off the soft, displaced soil. The front of her body reeled from the impact of the object while her back and head protested the collision with the forest floor. After a moment, the confusion of the situation abated her and her body began to scream in pain and protest. Her head swam in a sea of fog and her hearing faded to a high pitched whine. Sarah blinked several times, trying to clear her eyes as patches of darkness began to dot her vision.

Hoggle bent over her in concern. “Sarah!” He gasped, reaching out to her.

“I’m okay,” Sarah slurred. She endeavored to sit up, but a wave of dizziness crashed over her, throwing her back down to the earthen ground.

“Come on, Sarah,” Hoggle encouraged hastily. “We can’t stay here. I need you to stand up.”

Sarah nodded, still disoriented. Slowly, she was able to comprehend her situation again. “What happened?” She asked.

“You, uh, ran into that wall,” Hoggle answered sheepishly.

Sarah scoffed in self loathing. Of all the stupid things she could do right now, she had to run directly into a stone wall in the middle of the forest inside the Labyrinth and knock herself senseless. The ludicrousness of the situation was almost more than she could bear.

“That sounds about right,” she muttered, crawling unsteadily to her feet.

“Are you going to be alright?” Hoggle asked, holding her arm and trying to steady her.

Sarah swayed slightly, but maintained her upright position. She reached out a hand to steady herself against the offending wall while her other gently probed her aching head. “I’ll be fine.”

“There you are!” Sir Didymus announced, trotting back over to Sarah and Hoggle. “We came upon this wall and have been following it to see if it lets out. I haven’t found a way past--” Sir Didymus stopped as he studied Sarah. “Are you quite alright, fair maiden? It looks as if you have taken a rather nasty tumble.”

Sarah shook her head, embarrassed enough that Hoggle had seen her humiliating display. “Don’t worry about it. Did you find the end of the wall?”

Sir Didymus shook his head ruefully. “Alas, it seems to have no end.”

“Damn,” Sarah cursed. She looked up, the motion shooting an invisible dagger through her brain. She groaned and squinted against the pain, following the rise of the wall. Her heart sank as she was unable to see the crest as it melted into the dark sky. “Do you think we can climb it?”

“I don’t see how,” Hoggle speculated. “It looks pretty steep.”

“Fear not, miladly. We’ll figure something out,” Sir Didymus assured. “We always do.”

Another howl echoed through the night air, causing their conversation to abruptly cease. Sarah listened intently. The howl mercifully sounded further away than it had before, but it was still too close to give her any kind of comfort.

“What’re we gonna do?” Hoggle asked, panicked.

“I don’t know,” Sarah panted, placing her hands against the smooth wall. She groped about, feeling for any out of place bricks she could use to boost herself up. Her hands grasped uselessly at moist moss and soil. It crumbled beneath her touch, raining down a mess of fetid and moldy earth onto her face and head.

“Ugh,” Sarah groaned, stepping away from the wall and sputtering through the dirt.

“You should be careful or you could have a nasty fall,” a small voice remarked.

Sarah’s attention snapped back to the wall, searching for origin of the voice. “What? Who said that?”

“Down ‘ere,” the voice replied.

Sarah blinked, brushing the remnants of soil from her forehead as she crouched down on her knees next to the wall. Hoggle pushed in curiously beside her.

“‘Ello,” the voice said happily.

Sarah focused on a small cave worm nonchalantly resting on a withered vine next to the wall.

“No,” Sarah whispered incredulously. “It can’t be.” Sarah appraised the small worm, recognizing him from so many years ago. Proud tufts of gray hair, though once blue, still sprouted from his head with the occasional blue strand vibrantly peeking through. Sarah saw that his skin had withered over the years, becoming a slightly more slack and speckled with several tiny faded patches of blue and white. The little worm appeared to wear the same red scarf, though it too had grown faint with the constant fatigue of wear from the years.

“I know you,” Sarah gawked, astonished. “You’re the worm I met at the beginning of the Labyrinth all those years ago!”

The worm squinted at Sarah, his red eyes slightly clouded. “Me eyesight’s not what it usta be, but you do kinda look like that lovely lil’ girl. Oi, it’s been a spell since I’ve seen you!” The worm remarked happily. “‘Ave you been ‘ere all this time?”

Sarah shook her head. “No, I solved the Labyrinth and left. But now I’ve come back.”

“Come back?” The worm asked, astonished. “Why would you ever do that?”

The question struck Sarah in a curious way. At the beginning of her adventure, she had known why she had wanted to return. She wanted to confess her newly discovered love for the Goblin King and beseech forgiveness for her trespasses against him. However, as she delved further into her journey, she had grown suspicious of his true motives and unsure of her own feelings.

“I came back for something I thought was real,” Sarah mumbled. “But now I’m not so sure it was ever real.”

“Then why stay?” The worm continued quizzically.

Sarah blinked. The thought of simply leaving had never occurred to her. She looked to Sir Didymus and Hoggle, who gazed at her expectantly. In that moment, the truth of the matter dawned on her. Sarah knew without any hesitation as to why she remained in the Labyrinth.

“Regardless of what my motives were for returning, I find that I am needed here,” Sarah surmised. “And I won’t let my friends down again. They need me.” She smiled at Hoggle and Sir Didymus. “And I need them.”

Hoggle placed his hand on Sarah’s shoulder and Sir Didymus threw her a sweet smile. Her conflicting emotions for Jareth were irrelevant at this point in time. What mattered now were her friends and their safety. She would fight for them as long as she still drew breath.

“Aw, isn’t that nice!” The worm hummed appreciatively. “Well, it’s sure good to see a friendly face ‘round ‘ere. Things are awfully dark in this part of the Labyrinth.”

“You don’t have to tell us,” Hoggle remarked.

“Do you know how to get past this wall?” Sarah asked hopefully.

“Nah, I’m just a worm. I’d never get over this enormous thing,” he said, shaking his aged head.

“Then, pardon my inquiry, but how do you get to places such as these?” Sir Didymus asked.

“Oh, that’s easy,” the worm said brightly. “We travel by tunnel.”

Another howl pierced the air and Sarah’s pulse quickened at its closeness.

“My, my, those ghastly beasts are on the prowl tonight!” The worm observed. “Almost like they’re chasing something.”

Sarah’s stomach twisted into sickening knots at the statement. The worm had no idea how right he was.

“It’s gettin’ late. Why don’t the lot of you come inside, meet the missus? We can put you up for the night,” the worm offered. “You’ll be safe with us.”

“Um,” Sarah muttered dubiously. “I’m not sure we could fit into your home.”

“Nonsense!” The worm exclaimed. “We’ve got plenty of room. Come inside. We’ll get you a nice cuppa tea.”

“Forgive my skepticism,” Sir Didymus interjected. “But how are we supposed to enter your dwelling?”

“Right through there,”  the worm motioned with his head. Sarah followed the worm’s line of sight, her eyes resting on an old, rotted tree trunk. Sarah threw the worm a confused look.

“Where?” Sarah asked.

“It’s right there, you’re lookin’ right at it,” the worm said.

“The tree trunk?” Sarah asked.

“That’s right!” The worm smiled.

Sarah stood, getting a better view of the trunk. It appeared solid, save for the few rotted pieces that had splintered off throughout the years.

“It’s just a rotten tree trunk,” Sarah mumbled softly.

“It’s the opening to me tunnel,” the worm assured. “Just walk on over it.”

“But…” Sarah argued. “It’s clearly a rotted old tree trunk.” She gestured to it. “There’s no way inside.”

The worm shook his head with a laugh. “Things aren’t always what they seem in this place. You can’t...”

“...take anything for granted,” Sarah echoed, a vivid memory sparking in her mind. “I remember,” she whispered.

The worm nodded. “Well, go on then! Try it.”

Sarah apprehensively gazed at Hoggle and Sir Didymus, her hands flicking nervously at her side. “Okay,” she breathed, moving cautiously into the rotted trunk. She stepped forward, bracing herself for the impact of the trunk against her shins as she walked straight into it. Much to her surprise, Sarah felt her foot descend and land on a soft dirt path that led steeply underground. She continued downward a little more and was greeted by a narrow tunnel barely lit by the moon that hung overhead in the night sky.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Sarah gawked in amazement, backing out slowly to look over at the worm.

“Told ya,” the worm winked. “I’ll meet ya down there.” The worm turned on the old withered vine and began inching himself along until he disappeared into the moss covered rock wall.

“Er, friend of yours?” Hoggle asked after the worm had disappeared.

“I met him right after the first time I saw you,” Sarah recounted. “The last time I was in the Labyrinth.” She shook her head. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“Come now, Ambrosius,” Sir Didymus coaxed. “Into the dark unknown of the tunnel where danger and adventure awaits!”

Ambrosius whined pitifully and began to visibly quake in fear.

Hoggle huffed. “Some speech there. Now I don’t wanna go in either.”

“There is nothing to fear,” Sir Didymus spouted, raising his spear. “But fear itself!”

The long, ravenous howl of the Chimera echoed off the trees once again and Sir Didymus quickly lowered his spear.

“And quite possibly that creature,” he muttered. “May we go in now, milady?”

Sarah nodded vigorously in agreement as her eyes quickly scanned the treeline. “Yes, let’s get out of here.”

They filed quickly into the tunnel, Ambrosius nearly knocking Hoggle down in his haste to make it inside.

Sarah squinted against the failing light, ducking and dodging the finger like vines that dangled in her face. As they edged further in, it became impossible for Sarah to make out anything. She spread her hands out against the sides of the tunnel, feeling for its subtle twists and turns. Something skirted and tickled across her cheek. Sarah tried to convince herself that it was only a vine and not some creature lurking underground. However, this became harder to believe when the tickle moved from her cheek and cascaded down her neck. Innately, Sarah’s skin began to crawl and she hastily brushed at her face and neck, unnerved by the fact that she couldn’t see what was on her.

 _Maybe you don’t want to see_ , the voice in her head whispered.

 _Oh, shut up,_ Sarah growled at herself. She shook her head. Sometimes she truly could be her own worst enemy.

The path continued to twist and as it curved, Sarah banged her shoulder roughly against the side tunnel.

“Ow,” she hissed under her breath. “I can’t see a thing.”

“Me neither,” Hoggle griped.

“Even my keen senses cannot cut through this darkness,” Sir Didymus confessed.

“What’re we gonna do?” Hoggle asked, sounding nearly as pitiful as Ambrosius when he whined.

“I don’t know,” Sarah sighed. “If only I had a lighter or…” Sarah trailed off as she suddenly remembered the Fireys. “Sir Didymus, can you find the Firey hand in my backpack?”

“Oh, what an excellent idea, milady!” Sir Didymus quipped happily. “Give me just a moment.”

Sarah waited patiently as she heard Sir Didymus unzip the bag and root around for the hand she had stowed inside it for safekeeping.

“Ah, found it! Here you are, fair maiden,” Sir Didymus announced. Sarah reached out blindly for the hand, accidentally smacking Hoggle accidentally in the process.

“Oh, I am so sorry!” Sarah gasped apologetically.

“It’s alright,” Hoggle muttered, sounding as if her were rubbing his nose. He shuffled away from Sarah. “It’s not like any of us can see anything.”

Sarah nodded, even though the gesture was lost to the darkness. She continued to reach out, her fingers finally touching the cold, stiff hand of the Firey. Sarah’s stomach turned once again as she was reminded of dead meat. She reluctantly took the hand from Sir Didymus.

“Ugh,” she groaned. She’d mercifully forgotten how the dead, stiff limbs of the Fireys felt. Now it was all coming back to her. Sarah swallowed her revulsion and endeavored to be grateful for the severed appendage and the light it would bring. She held the Firey hand in front of her and then stopped, woefully aware that she didn’t know how to make fire appear.

“Um,” Sarah started.

“What’s wrong?” Hoggle asked.

“I don’t know how to make it work,” Sarah confessed sheepishly.

“Oh,” Hoggle replied dismally. “Me neither, actually.”

“Have you tried shaking it?” Sir Didymus offered helpfully.

Sarah began to shake the hand vigorously. The motion proved to be futile.

“That didn’t work,” Sarah relayed.

“Maybe you should try asking it?” Hoggle proposed.

Sarah scoffed, but decided the suggestion was not too far fetched.

“Fire?” Sarah stated to the hand. The hand remained cold and stiff in Sarah’s grasp. “I command fire!” Sarah tried again to no avail.

She stood silently for a moment, feeling the anxious energy of her companions. Sarah’s patience slowly began to falter.

“I don’t understand,” Sarah complained in frustration. “He said it would work!” She swung her arm down desolately to her side. The hand struck the side of the tunnel, sending a spark of light that bounced through the heavy darkness.

Surprised, Sarah jumped at the spark and then shook her head ruefully.

“It’s just like lighting a match,” she breathed, raising the hand above her head and striking it against the roof of the tunnel.

The hand blazed with brilliant orange light that seared Sarah’s eyes. Sarah hissed, averting her eyes from the flame and extending her arm as far away from her face as possible.

“You got it!” Hoggle cheered happily.

“Well done, milady,” Sir Didymus commended.

Sarah smiled at her companions, her dismal mood dissipating. She held the hand in front of her like a torch and continued down the earthen passage.

It smelled moist, ripe with plant decay and now slightly smokey. Even though the fire crackled bright and hungrily, Sarah was amazed that she didn’t feel any heat from the flame. Her hand remained completely unaffected by the dancing blaze. They continued down the nicely rounded tunnel slowly. Even though it appeared safe, Sarah reminded herself that the Labyrinth still held horrors that her imagination could not even begin to fathom. Abruptly, the passage let out into a spacious cavern littered with half a dozen large openings that led into tunnels of their own.

“Oh, great,” Sarah breathed. “Which way now?”

“There you are!” Came a voice in the distance. “Well, come on then! Don’t wanna keep the missus waiting. She does so love company.”

Sarah squinted against the reach of the flame, trying to distinguish the little worm. She glimpsed him in the entrance of the second to last tunnel to her left.

“I was afraid we wouldn’t find you,” Sarah said, unable to keep the immense relief from triggering in her voice.

“Don’t you worry,” the worm replied. “I wouldn’t leave you down ‘ere in this maze without a guide. Come along, then.” The worm began to scoot down the passageway at a surprisingly swift pace. Sarah and the others followed quickly, afraid they would lose him if they did not keep up.

“These caverns are huge!” Sarah remarked, glancing around in awe. “How did you find them them?”

“Why, we didn’t find ‘em,” the worm boasted. “Me n’ the missus made ‘em!”

Sarah gaped in shock, completely flabbergasted. “That must have been quite the task!”

“Nah, not as much as you’d think,” the worm said proudly. “Prell’s always been good at diggin’ tunnels.”

“Prell?” Sarah ventured.

“That’s right,” the worm responded as he wriggled along quickly. “That’s me wife. Which reminds me, I ain’t never got ‘round to proper introductions. I’m Batson.”

“Hello, Batson,” Sarah replied pleasantly. “I’m Sarah. This is Hoggle, Sir Didymus and Ambrosius.”

Batson stopped and turned to Sarah, his red eyes keenly glued to her. “Sarah, eh? If I recall, that’s the name of the girl The Goblin King fell in love with.”

“That’s…” Hoggle started and Sarah put her hand against his mouth to silence him. He gave a muffled grunt of displeasure, but didn’t say anything more.

“Really? Do you know much about this Sarah and the Goblin King?” Sarah asked.

“Just what I’ve ‘eard,” Batson continued along, unaffected by Sarah’s motion to silence Hoggle. Sarah had to quicken her pace to keep up with the worm.

“What have you heard?” Sarah persuaded innocently.

“Rumor ‘round ‘ere is the Goblin King fell in love with a mortal girl who didn’t return ‘is love,” Batson explained. “Rumor goes the Goblin King lost ‘is powers because of it and that’s why the Labyrinth’s become a terrible place.”

“But did he really?” Sarah pondered aloud. “Did he really love her?”

“Ain’t for me to say being as I’m just a worm,” Batson replied. “But we ‘ear things most don’t on account no one sees us unless we want to be seen.” Batson led them into another cavern with four more openings. He chose the furthest one on the right. Sarah once again found herself rushing to close the gap between her and Batson. He was abnormally agile.

“Such as?” Sarah coaxed, realizing that she was nearly panting in her efforts to keep up with the little speed demon.

“This n’ that,” Batson replied. “Those sayin’ the Goblin King’d foolishly lost ‘imself over a mortal girl. That the king risked it all, gave everything there was to give for this girl. Its also been said that even though ‘is magic dwindled and she’d forsake ‘is love, the Goblin King kept usin’ magic to go to the girl’s world just to be close to ‘er again.” Batson sighed deeply. “Waste of precious magic is what that was.”

Sarah inadvertently whimpered as she felt an invisible knife slip through her rib cage and pierce her heart. She blinked away the rush of tears that rose to her eyes. Her mind taunted her mercilessly about how harshly she had judged Jareth based entirely on speculation alone.

“Yeah, it sounds like it,” she replied hoarsely. Sarah’s conflicting emotions were almost enough to tear her apart. She felt a tug on her shirt and looked down into the sympathetic eyes of Hoggle. He reached out and squeezed her free hand comfortingly. Sarah squeezed back, struggling to swallow the knot that had formed in her throat.

“Do you know why he loved the girl?” Sarah strained, her voice barely audible over the knot of emotion.

“Just that she was special,” Batson replied obliviously. “She reminded the ‘im of someone.”

Sarah’s surprise was enough to bring back her voice. “Reminded him of someone? Who?”

“No one knows.” Batson replied, leading them into yet another cavern with several openings. This time, he went down the middle. “Some say it was the babe.”

“What babe?” Sarah asked.

“The babe with the power,” Batson replied.

“What power?” Sarah pushed.

“The power… hm,” Batson murmured reflectively. “I don’t rightly recall. Me memory’s not what it used to be.”

“Oh,” Sarah replied despondently.

“But again, it’s all rumor and chatter,” Batson quipped cheerfully. “You gotta take it as you will.”

Sarah nodded, her chest tightening as more conflicting thoughts entered her mind.

 _She reminded him of someone._ The words echoed somberly in her memory and Sarah felt her heart drop as she realized that she was not as special as she had initially thought.

 _The babe with the power_ , her mind prattled on. So, that meant there had been someone else with a power like hers. Had he tried this before? Was she really the object of his unrequited love or was this simply a game he played?

 _But if he’d done this before, he would’ve lost his powers,_ the voice of reason contradicted in her mind. _He lost his powers because he loved you._

 _Maybe it’s just a ruse,_ her emotional side argued. _Maybe this is just all part of his game._

 _Do you really think he would let the game go this far to get what he wanted?_ The rational voice asked.

Sarah chewed on her lip, afraid to answer her own inquiry. When it came down to it, she truly didn’t want to know the answer.

 _Perhaps,_ her emotional side whispered dejectedly.

 _Even if you do think this is a game, there is one thing you need to know with certainty,_ the rational voice surmised. _Do you still love him?_

Sarah pulled in a shuddered breath. It was a question she’d thought about before, but had dismissed it. However, trapped in this dark maze of tunnels, the glaring question seemed impossible to evade.

As Sarah searched her heart and soul for her true feelings, she became even more forlorn to discover that she honestly didn’t know the answer.

* * *

They continued to walk, or rather trot to keep up with the fastest worm in the world, in silence. Sarah’s conflicting emotions relentlessly spread and gnawed at her, growing more agonizing as the endless maze of tunnels and passageways flew by. Her muscles were tired and sore, begging for relief from the torture she had put them through. However, Sarah ignored them. She had begun to creep into a dark place in the back of her mind where she started to question herself and her own motives. Just as she felt herself hitting rock bottom, Batson interrupted her dark thoughts.

“Ah, ‘ere we are!” He announced gleefully.

In her quiet despair, Sarah hadn’t realized that Batson had led them down a narrowing tunnel which had ended with an opening covered by dangling plant roots. Small rays of light shown through the curtain of roots, but Sarah was unable to see inside.

“Go on,” Batson urged.

Sarah reluctantly pushed through the tangled mess and was met by a warm, wide open space. The walls were no longer moist with crumbling earth, but packed tightly in. The floor resembled the walls, no longer soft, but firm and comforting under her feet.

Sarah looked up at the source of the light and gasped in awe as she saw the air was alive with insect like creatures that reminded her of fireflies. They buzzed inaudibly and lazily about, collectively emitting a pleasant light that filled the cavern. As Sarah’s eyes appraised the room, a small pile of red glowing rocks caught her attention in the corner of the cavern. A large kettle sat casually upon the rocks, a thin trail of steam spewing from the spout.  

“There’s no fire,” Sarah muttered, examining the rocks. “How is it heated?”

“You ain’t ever seen exfo stones before?” Batson asked, surprised.

Sarah shook her head, remembering that she still clutched the flaming Firey hand. She shook it rapidly, successfully extinguishing the flame.

“Well, they’re what we use to cook our meals and such,” Batson explained. “Can’t rightfully ‘ave fire down ‘ere, now can we?”

Batson wriggled over to the middle of the room and Sarah realized that there were rocks that had been manipulated into seats. Other comforts adorned the room such as woven silk bags bulging with cotton. Sarah gazed enviously at one such bag, longing to lay against it.

“Prell, darling, we ‘ave visitors!” Batson announced.

“At this time of night?!?” Came a shrill reply from a tunnel leading out of the cavern. “What’s gotten into you, Batson?”

“S’alright,” Batson assured her. “They’re friends. They need a safe place for the night.”

“You think everyone’s a friend,” Prell chided. “I swear, one day you’ll invite one of those bloody Chimera down ‘ere and roast us both, you will!”

“Nonsense, darling,” Batson replied sweetly. “Come out and meet our guests.” Batson turned his attention back to them and saw Sarah gazing at the cotton filled cushion.

“Go on,” Batson urged gently. “Relax, get comfortable.”

Sarah contemplated a moment, feeling as if she were being rude. She looked over to Hoggle who shrugged. Sir Didymus nodded in Sarah’s direction, as if assuring her that there would be no harm done in resting. Hesitantly, Sarah went over to the large cushion, pushing against it with her hand to test its softness. In a hasty moment where her body reacted before her mind, Sarah found herself lounged against the luscious comfort of the cushion, a deep and contented sigh escaping from her lips. Ambrosius quickly came up beside Sarah, nuzzling her hand affectionately. She slid her hand lazily over his head, scratching softly behind his ears.

“You have very nice accomodations, if I say so myself,” Sir Didymus remarked as he moved to one of the stone seats in the middle of the room. “We heartily thank you for your generous hospitality.”

Hoggle found a seat next to Sir Didymus, exclaiming in wonder at the myriad of fireflies dancing along the ceiling.

“My pleasure!” Batson cooed happily. “Now, who would like a nice cuppa hot tea? There’s plenty for all. We’ve also got some biscuits cookin’ next to the exfo rocks.”

Ambrosius perked up his ears at the mention of food and Sarah felt her stomach grumble in response as well. Never in her whole life had tea and biscuits sounded so utterly delicious to her.  

“I’ll have some if you’re offering,” Hoggle said, springing to his feet and going over to the rocks.  “Sarah? Didymus?”

“Please,” Sarah asked, her exhaustion outweighing her ability to get up and fend for herself.

“I would be indebted, sir,” Sir Didymus replied.

“Prell, we’re having tea and biscuits, won’t you join us?” Batson called out again.

“Give me a bloody moment to get cleaned up!” Prell yelled back. “It’s not like I was expectin’ company tonight!”

“Of course, dear,” Batson said graciously. “Take your time.”

Sarah and Hoggle exchanged uncomfortable glances as Hoggle brought Sarah a large biscuit and a cup of steaming tea in a wooden mug.

“Your wife sounds, er, lovely,” Sir Didymus remarked carefully, sensing the tension.

“Yeah,” Batson sighed, a contented smile once again rising to his face. “She’s the best thing in this world.”

“Really?” Hoggle asked in disbelief. Sarah shot him a look, warning him to be pleasant as they were guests in Batson’s home.

Sarah sipped her tea, losing herself in the delicious and warm flavor. She bit into the warm, flaky biscuit and nearly moaned in appreciation of meal. It was light and buttery and seemed to almost melt in her mouth when she followed it with a sip of tea.

“This is wonderful,” Sarah murmured appreciatively. “Thank you for your kindness.”

Before Batson could answer, Prell yelled from the opening.

“There better be tea and biscuits left!”

“There’s plenty, love!” Batson replied sweetly.

She stared expectantly at the opening Prell had spoken from and choked on her tea when the worm emerged.

Hoggle’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he gawked at the worm who entered the room. Sir Didymus dropped his biscuit and Ambrosius was quick to scamper across the room and gobble it up, unaffected by the new presence.

“Everyone, this is my missus!” Batson beamed happily. “Prell, darling, these are our guests!”

Sarah gazed up at Prell. She was enormous! She towered over Sarah, a huge blue and white worm the size of an elephant. Her blue and gray curls tumbled out from under a pink bonnet that sat delicately on her head. Her red eyes appraised Sarah and the group.

“Who’re all you, then?” She grossed unhappily.

Sarah stood respectfully. “I’m Sarah. I was just telling Batson how wonderful the tea and biscuits are and thanking him for your hospitality.”

Prell eyed her. “Sarah, is it?” She huffed. “Well, I’m glad you enjoy me biscuits. I slaved all day over ‘em.”

Sarah nervously grasped the half eaten biscuit still in her hand. “Oh, I am. They’re delicious!”

Prell looked at Sir Didymus and Ambrosius. “And who do we ‘ave ‘ere?”

“I am Sir Didymus and this is my faithful steed, Ambrosius.” Sir Didymus announced, taking his hat off and bowing with a flourish. “We are but humble and grateful visitors in your home.”

Prell scoffed and rolled her eyes. She looked at Batson. “That everyone?”

“Not quite, dear. There’s one more,” Batson nodded over to Hoggle, who had taken to cowering behind one of the stone seats.

“What you cowerin’ for?” Prell started. “Come on out and gives us a look and proper introduction.”

Hoggle slowly stood, obviously shaken by Prell’s shocking size.

“Uh--er-- the name’s Hoggle,” he said nervously. “Nice to meet you, miss.”

Prell pulled back visibly and Sarah could see her features relax as a soft, warm hue of pink crossed over the worm’s face.

“Oh, my. Hoggle, is it?” Prell’s voice became gentle and soothing as she gave careful consideration to pronounce the H in his name. “Why, what a lovely name for such a lovely creature.”

Sarah inhaled her biscuit and started to cough, taking a hasty drink of her tea. Prell didn’t appear to notice Sarah’s reaction.

Hoggle fidgeted anxiously. “Oh, how kind of you to say so.”

Prell fluttered her eyes. “It’s been a long time since Batson brought anyone so interestin’ and attractive to our lil’ cave.”

Sarah glanced over to see Sir Didymus’ jaw practically hit the floor.

“Er-- who me? Interesting?” Hoggle stammered.

“And attractive,” Prell purred loudly, winking.

“Oh, dear,” Hoggle gulped, his frantic gaze falling on Sarah, pleading for help.

Sarah cleared her throat. “This is a lovely home you have,” she fumbled. “It must’ve taken quite some time to clear all the tunnels.”

“You would think so, but not really,” Batson answered. “Prell’s a natural burrower, she is.” He gazed at her lovingly. “Just the best.”

“Why don’t you rest your weary feet over ‘ere?” Prell cooed to Hoggle, ignoring Batson. “I won’t bite.”

Hoggle’s eyes widened in fear as if the thought she could bite had not occurred to him until she made mention of it.

“Oh, how nice, but I’m very comfortable right here,” Hoggle muttered, scooting closer to Sarah.

“Nonsense!” Prell exclaimed, batting her eyes. “Let us ‘ave a better look at you!”

She scooted across the room to Hoggle. “Oh, that’s better!” Prell gushed. “Why, what pretty eyes you’ve got!”

Hoggle chuckled nervously, a silent scream of terror frozen on his face. Sarah felt compelled to help him in some way.

“Ahem, we appreciate your generosity,” Sarah began cautiously. “But unfortunately, we need to get going.”

Prell stared hypnotically at Hoggle. “What’s the rush, love? Can’t you stay while?”

Sarah shook her head. “I’m afraid not. We need to find the heart of the Labyrinth and time is running out.”

Prell’s fixated gaze broke from Hoggle and she gaped down at Sarah. “What did you say?”

Sarah swallowed hard. “Uh, um, we need to find the heart of the Labyrinth,” she muttered, afraid the big worm might crush her if she spoke out of turn.

Prell and Batson exchanged worried glances. “Why would a sweet thing such as yourself ever want to go there?” Prell asked.

“Because I have to,” Sarah explained lamely.

“No one ever needs to go there,” Batson responded, eyeing Sarah suspiciously. “What’s really going on?”

Sarah exhaled heavily as she looked between the two worms. “I do need to go there,” she persisted softly. “I have to go because I have to save the Labyrinth. It’s why I’m here. It’s why I came back.”

Prell and Batson exchanged glances and then began laughing incredulously.

“Save the Labyrinth?” Prell exclaimed, her sweet and delicate voice dissipating. “An’ just ‘ow do you suppose you gonna do that? You’re just a young girl!”

“These are dark forces at work,” Batson chimed in. “This is no time to play the savior. This is no game.”

Sarah wrinkled her nose, warding off her wounded pride. “I’m not playing,” she said flatly. “I need to find the heart of the Labyrinth. There is a power hidden there that I must obtain. With it, I can drive back this evil and return the Goblin King to power.”

“Really?” Batson inquired skeptically. “You can?”

Sarah nodded. “Yes, I can. And I will.”

“But why would you be willin’ to risk yourself for one such as the Goblin King?” Batson inquired. “It don’t seem right.”

Sarah chewed on her lip, fiddling with her frayed cardigan between her fingers. “Well...it’s because I’m...I’m…”

“Because you’re the girl!” Prell announced as realization dawned on her. “You’re the cause of all this?”

“Wait, you’re _that_ Sarah?” Batson gasped.

Sarah inhaled sharply, the sting of the accusation hurting more than it should have.

“Now see here!” Hoggle bristled. “She ain’t the cause of nothin’! This whole thing was Jareth’s doing. He’s the one who got himself and us into this mess. He was reckless with his power. Sarah’s done nothin’ wrong. She’s just tryin’ to set things right!”

The worms gazed at Sarah and Hoggle in surprise.

“I’ve ‘eard the stories,” Batson said apologetically. “But I didn’t know what was rumor and what was fact. You understand, don’t you?”

“It’s okay,” Sarah said softly. “I don’t know what to believe half the time either.”

“If you’re trying to save the Labyrinth, then ‘ow did you end up ‘ere?” Prell asked.  
“We have fought our way here past horrors unimaginable, trials of valor and pain which afflicts both the body and the soul,” Sir Didymus finally said, finishing his tea thoughtfully. “What we’ve seen will long haunt our dreams and mark our very hearts.”

Prell gaped at Hoggle with wide eyed pity. “Oh, you poor, dear lamb. The evils you must’ve endured!” She curled herself around Hoggle quickly in an odd embrace.

“Ah!” Hoggle yelped as she squeezed him. He threw Sir Didymus a nasty look. Sir Didymus shrugged, unaware his speech would elicit such a reaction from Prell.

“What can we do to ‘elp?” Batson asked seriously.

“Can you tell me where the heart of the Labyrinth is?” Sarah asked Batson, hoping Prell would not smother poor Hoggle in her python like embrace.

“Tell you? Oh, I can do better than that,” Batson replied. “I can show you the way.”

Sarah’s heart fluttered. “Really?” She cried, her voice pitching with excitement.

“Sure!” Batson said happily. “But be warned, the path to the ‘eart of the Labyrinth is not an easy one.”

Sarah sighed, her elation quickly fading. “Nothing ever is.”

“There will be trials,” Batson warned. “Tricks and obstacles to overcome.”

“What do you mean by tricks and obstacles?” Hoggle wheezed, struggling vainly to free himself from Prell.

“Oh, don’t you fret ‘bout none of that now,” Prell soothed. “You’re all safe ‘ere. I suggest we all get some rest and in the morning, Battsy will take you as far as the frozen door.” She looked down at Hoggle. “Come with me now, we’ll get you nice n’ cozy in bed.” She began inching along, Hoggle still wrapped up in her tail.

“I’m fine here!” Hoggle said panickedly, clawing to free himself.

“Nonsense!” Prell prattled, inching through the opening. “You’ll be far more comfortable in these chambers. I’ll even give you the best one!”

Sarah and Sir Didymus threw Batson a look and he shook his head with a smile.

“It’ll be alright,” Batson chuckled. “Prell’s taken quite a liking to that one. If you’ll follow me, we’ve got other chambers with cushions and cotton you can each take.”

Sarah stood up, brushing the crumbs of her biscuit from her lap. She and Sir Didymus followed Batson through the opening Prell had dragged Hoggle through.

“Hoggle?” Sarah called cautiously. “Are you good for the night?”  
“Cor…” Hoggle huffed from one of the openings. “I’ll be fine. I hope.”

Sarah chuckled and followed Batson to a low opening.

“Right through there,” he said to her. Sarah stooped down and peered through the hole. A rounded room awaited her, filled with cotton covered in the same silky material that she had been sitting on previously. She crawled into the room, sinking pleasantly against the soft cotton.

“This looks so amazing,” she breathed, suddenly aware of just how exhausted she was.

“It’s not pretty, but it’s the best sleep you’ll ever want,” Batson boasted.

Sarah collapsed against the soft cotton and silk, moaning appreciatively. “It’s perfect.”

“Goodnight, dear,” Batson whispered softly. “We’ll talk in the morning.” He turned to Sir Didymus. “If you’ll both follow me, I’ll show you to your chamber as well.”

“I am very much obliged at your graciousness as a host,” Sir Didymus commended. “Goodnight, fair maiden. We shall see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Didymus,” Sarah mumbled sleepily, already drifting off into slumber.

Sarah barely heard them move away as she was lost in the silken pleasantness of her surroundings. Her mind demanded she review everything she had discovered and that she give some thought as to what she was going to do. She obstinately ignored her objecting mind.

 _But what about Jareth?_ Her emotional side asked tenaciously. _What about what Batson said?_

Sarah groaned, silently smothering the nagging voice in her mind as she buried her head in the softness of the cotton and silk.

 _Tomorrow,_ she promised herself. _I’ll figure it out tomorrow._

She convinced her mind to let go of the questions and leave them for a later time. As she once again began to drift into a luxurious sleep, his name danced on the exhale of breath from her lips and his multi-colored eyes watched her intensely as she drifted away from the world and up into the midnight sky.

_“Jareth.”_


	12. Leave My Love

Before she was even fully asleep, Sarah felt herself drifting away from her body as she had before. She didn’t panic as she recognized the feeling from the first time it happened when she had lain wounded in the fairy thicket. Sarah rationalized that there had to be a reason she was being transported again and remembered what Titania had said. She concentrated, thinking of Jareth and only Jareth. This time, instead of having to be led through the corridors of the castle to find Jareth, Sarah was pleased to discover that she materialized in front of the portal that acted as a doorway into Jareth’s hidden throne room. Sarah glanced about her surroundings and wondered why she hadn’t been delivered to this exact spot the first time. She reasoned that the poison from the Chimera bite must have somehow hindered her ability to astral project, if that was indeed what she was doing. Or, more likely, she had had help from Jareth all along. Despite the claims from Titania and others that Jareth was running out of magic, he appeared to use it as if he had it in spades.

Sarah hesitated at the portal, her tribulations still gnawing viciously at the edge of her mind. Part of her wanted to run through the portal, throw her arms around her Goblin King and once again share in an agonizingly sweet and hungry kiss. However, the other part reminded her of all she had learned since returning to the Labyrinth. Doubt had begun to cloud the euphoria of her love and Sarah found herself conflicted beyond any rational thought. It was true, the hopeless romantic in her dreamed of the love Jareth offered her so many years ago and wanted nothing more than to rediscover it. However, the prudent realist in her pointed out that she had suffered from broken hearts before and this particular heartbreak would promise to be the most devastating and perhaps irreparable of them all.

Sarah fidgeted, her mind at war with her heart. In the end, she decided that she had been beckoned to the portal for a reason and that she needed to give Jareth a chance to at least explain himself. Perhaps this way, she could obtain the answers she so desperately sought.

Sarah sucked in a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for a confrontation with Jareth before striding through the portal. She emerged on the other side, greeted by the immense throne room once again. She swallowed hard, her eyes straying to the spot she had previously seen Jareth.

Sarah gasped as her heart nearly stopped cold in her chest. The Goblin King no longer knelt in place on the floor, but laid collapsed in a shuddering heap.

“Jareth!” Sarah cried, an icy dagger of panic and despair slicing through the veil of her doubt. Before she even knew what she was doing, she found her feet moving, rapidly taking her down the stairs and to his side. Sarah crouched beside him, tentatively reaching out a quivering hand. Her fingers touched his forehead and withdrew in shock and fear. She had never touched anything alive that felt as cold as he did. Tears stung at Sarah’s eyes and she sniffled, appraising Jareth. His gaunt skin had now taken on a yellowish hue. His lips had turned nearly white and his blonde hair had followed. Sarah watched with great pain as his chest unsteadily rose and fell with the burden of his labored breaths.

 _He’s dying_ , Sarah realized mournfully.

“Oh, Jareth,” Sarah whispered, stroking his sunken cheek. Despite all her uncertainties and the myriad of questions that plagued her, Sarah couldn’t deny that part of her still felt something for him. Part of her truly did still love him.

“Can you hear me?” Sarah asked, her tone tremulous and unsteady.

Jareth’s breath hitched at the sound of her voice, but he did not open his eyes.

Sarah blinked back her budding tears and stretched out beside Jareth, lacing her arms around him. She pressed herself against his gelid body, praying for a miracle. She hoped that she could somehow impart some of the magic she held inside of her to sustain him a little longer. “Please, wake up.”

Jareth stirred under her touch and Sarah pulled back to see his head had turned and his eyes upon her once again. They glowed clear and alert, multi-colored jewels that beheld her with such a fierce passion and love.

“Sarah?” He uttered, her name barely audible as it passed over his frozen lips.

“Yes,” she whispered, stroking his face affectionately. “I’m here.”

Jareth swallowed, the motion proving to be a laborious task. “It’s too late. I am lost. Save yourself.”

A bolt of alarm shot through Sarah’s body and she shook her head obstinately. “No, I won’t! I’m not giving up on you. I’ve come too far.”

The edges of Jareth’s lips twitched into a weak smile. “You were always so stubborn and headstrong.” His eyes fluttered and his head lulled as he began to drift away from her again.

“Jareth, stay with me!” Sarah ordered. “Please.”

Jareth struggled to open his eyes again. When he did, they were haunted by an agonizing sorrow. “Turn back, Sarah.”

Sarah shook her head again. “No. Don’t you see? I can’t. I can’t leave this place. I can’t leave you.”

Jareth’s breaths were coming faster and more shallow as he gazed over at Sarah. “Another time, another place,” he slurred incoherently, his eyes closing once more as his fatigue overwhelmed him. “How you remind me… the face of love.”

“Love,” a voice chided disdainfully. “Such a rich song.”

Sarah didn’t need to look to know that Euryale had graced them with her foul presence.

“Leave us alone!” Sarah growled. “Haven’t you done enough already?”

Euryale scoffed. “I have hardly begun, mortal child. If you were more than just an apparition of yourself, I would turn you to stone where you lay with your pathetic Goblin King and be done with this folly.”

Sarah snickered, sitting up reluctantly with her arms still around Jareth. “It seems your powers have limits.”

“For now,” Euryale replied casually as she slithered around Sarah. “Why do you oppose me so vehemently? I have done nothing to you. There’s no reason to fight with me.”

“You know why I fight against you,” Sarah replied lowly, clutching Jareth protectively.

“Ah, yes, for the love of the Goblin King.” Euryale sighed. “Tell me, mortal child, do you really believe he loves you still?”  Euryale narrowed her eyes at Sarah. “Truly loves you?”

Anger boiled through Sarah. “I won’t play your game,” she retorted.

“Then perhaps I should stop dallying and turn him to stone,” Euryale growled. “End his wretched suffering.”

Sarah seethed with rage, her breath hastening as she struggled to remain in control of her temper. “If you could’ve done that, you would’ve already,” she spat through clenched teeth. “You can’t dispose of him until you get what you want. What remains of his magic protects him.”

“And that magic is fading,” Euryale hissed gleefully as her liquid gold eyes slid over Jareth’s waning form cradled in Sarah’s arms. “Rapidly.”

“I won’t let you take him,” Sarah challenged, her anger dictating her words. “As long as I draw breath, I won’t let you succeed.”

“Really?” Euryale inquired curiously, tilting her head. “What does it matter to you? What is it that you think I am after?”

“You want the Labyrinth,” Sarah said flatly, purposefully ignoring the fact that she knew Euryale wanted Jareth’s pendant.

“It is neither as complicated or simple as that,” Euryale replied flippantly. “You’ve already passed judgement upon me based on paltry hearsay alone. Don’t you wish to know my side of the story?”

Sarah shook her head ardently. “No.”

“That’s rather uncharitable of you,” Euryale scolded.

“Why would I care what you think?” Sarah chided, glaring at Euryale. “It won’t make any difference. There’s nothing you can say that will change my mind about you.”

“Why is that, I wonder?” Euryale pondered sweetly. “Is it because in your stories there always has to be a villain?”

Sarah gawked up at Euryale, taken aback and startled by her words. “What did you say?”

“You heard me, Sarah,” Euryale mocked. Sarah shuddered, revolted by the sound of her name from such a monstrous creature.

“I am not the villain you believe me to be,” Euryale continued softly. “I was merely an innocent whose limits and boundaries of pain and betrayal were traversed.”

“Stop!” Sarah shouted. “Save your breath, snake. Your tricks won’t work on me. Don’t even try to feign innocence.”

Euryale scoffed. “Oh, but I am not the trickster in this story. Have you asked yourself why I invaded the Labyrinth with my armies and how I did so with such success? What could I possibly stand to gain from such an attack? What was my motivation?” Euryale slinked around Sarah as if she were a shark swimming around a soon to be victim. “Why did I take your precious Goblin King as my prisoner? Why do I feel compelled to subject him to torture and humiliation? Ask yourself these questions.”

Sarah remained silent, despising the fact that she really was beginning to wonder about the answers to the questions Euryale had posed.

“Since you are determined to detest me, I challenge you to seek your answers from a source you trust.” Euryale craned her head, her golden eyes landing on Sarah. “Your little dwarven friend knows of my plight.”

“Hoggle?” Sarah muttered, her heart leaping into her throat as suddenly she understood why Hoggle seemed so distant and aloof at times. The revelation rocked Sarah, shattering her strong facade .

“You should ask him when you wake up,” Euryale encouraged. “Or better yet, ask your beloved Goblin King.”

Sarah cast an agonized glance down at Jareth. His eyes remained closed and his labored, uneven breaths cut raggedly over his lips.  

“Leave him out of this. He’s in no condition to combat your treachery,” Sarah disputed shakily.

Euryale slid uncomfortably close to Sarah, her vile scales mere inches away. “Don’t you see? I am here because of you,” she whispered. “You destroyed the Goblin King’s power when you rejected him. You broke his heart, fractured his magic.” Euryale pressed closer to Sarah. “The spoiled, self loving King lost control.”

Innately, Sarah recoiled from Euryale and clenched her teeth, hating the closeness of the creature, yet inexplicably feeling compelled to hear her story at the same time.

Euryale sensed Sarah’s discomfort and eased back considerably. “As the Goblin King saw his Labyrinth fall into ruin and chaos, he exercised his waning power to control it. But he couldn’t,” Euryale continued, her voice falling into a dismal tone. “At least not alone.”

The sudden sadness in Euryale’s voice caught Sarah off guard. She looked over at Euryale and was surprised to see sadness reflected in the golden depths of her reptilian eyes. Euryale continued, casting her gaze downward and away from Sarah. “You see, Jareth needed magic to heal his broken heart, but not just any magic. Did you know that the Fae become more powerful when we are in love and that love is returned? The purity of such a love can do many things. For example, it can give life to those grievously injured and near death. It can heal a wounded heart, lift a powerful curse, and reignite magic that has been lost.” Euryale raised her eyes once again to Sarah, bitter accusation burning within them. “When you rejected the Goblin King, you began this misery. He was not foolish enough at the time to believe that the silly mortal girl who had broken his heart would ever reciprocate his love and expiate him. So, he chose a different option. The cruel, selfish King decided he would do to someone else what had been done to him. He chose to steal the heart of another to regain his lost powers.” Euryale clutched her hand possessively over her chest, her voice pitiful and forlorn. “My heart.”

“You?” Sarah shook her head in disbelief and disgust. “No. I don’t believe you!”

Euryale looked mournfully at Sarah. “Just because my heart is cold as stone and as black as the midnight sky does not mean that I am incapable of love,” Euryale remarked defensively. “Your Goblin King knew this when he sought to steal my heart. Like a charming rogue, he wooed me and dazzled me, growing ever so close to winning my love. He was like a fiendish thief in the night.” Euryale’s voice shook with raw emotion and Sarah found herself pitying the broken creature that stood before her. What was more unnerving was that Sarah found herself actually listening to Euryale. Sarah wanted nothing more than to brush off the tale of woe Euryale spun. She wanted nothing more than to ignorantly believe that Euryale was a villain with an overwhelming ambition to become all powerful, to be feared and vilified throughout the Underground.

However, despite Sarah’s prejudices, she couldn’t deny the despondency in Euryale’s tone. Regardless if the Gorgon Queen was spinning fallacies of the misdeeds she had endured, there was a whisper of truth to her claims.

“Why are you telling me this?” Sarah whispered, her throat constricted with emotion.

“Because you need to know what kind of creature you foolishly pledge your love to,” Euryale responded bitterly. “I was warned of his diminishing magic and that his affections were simply a ruse to ensnare my heart to regain his powers, but I did not heed the warning.” Euryale stopped, looking at Sarah tragically. “What is it they say? Love is blind? Well, I was blind. Until one night, I crept into his chambers unbidden and saw him staring at an image of you in those infernal crystal balls of his. Unaware of my presence, I watched him gaze upon you, observing you as a predator would observe its prey. He spoke to you, claiming that the time was near and that his pawn had nearly fulfilled her role. His pawn!” Euryale spat venomously, clenching her hands tightly at her side while gazing scornfully at Jareth. Sarah gaped at Euryale’s outburst and watched in shock as her golden eyes became blood red, filled with murderous fury.

Euryale closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she endeavored to quell the storm of animosity that flooded through her. When she opened her eyes again, they had returned to their original golden color. “He vowed that when the time came and he was once again whole that you would know what it was to suffer. He would unleash upon you the full and unbridled spectrum of his vengeance. He would make you suffer as you made him--”

“You lie!” Sarah barked, cutting off Euryale as tears of frustration spilled down her cheeks. “I will not believe a word that comes from your deceitful tongue!”

Euryale shook her long head woefully. “As you wish,” she replied calmly. “It makes no difference to me if you believe my story or not. The fact still remains that he used me. He planned to steal my power to regenerate his own. So, I took from him the only thing he had left. In my despair and outrage, I gathered my forces and attacked the Labyrinth from within the Goblin City while it lay slumbering. I took from Jareth the last thing he held dear as vengeance for the heart he would have so wantonly and eagerly broken.”

Unbidden pieces of Sarah’s conversation with Titania began to trickle through her mind. Sarah was horrified to discover that part of her believed Euryale was telling the truth. Sarah knew enough about Jareth to know that he relied rather heavily on his magical abilities. She also knew that losing that kind of power would’ve been devastating to him. It was not at all impossible to conceive that Jareth would do anything to regain his powers. Including damning another to benefit himself. Sarah’s spirit fell as a sickening wave of indecisiveness seized her, stronger and more urgent than it had ever been before.

“Why are you telling me this?” Sarah reiterated again.

“Because you will end up a fool like me!’ Euryale shouted. “How can you possibly believe he still loves you after everything you’ve done to him? He doesn’t care about you! He cares only for revenge. He wants to make you suffer as he’s suffered.” Euryale narrowed her eyes at Sarah. “Don’t you understand? He failed with me. His only recourse now is to deceive you into loving him so he can regain his powers. His magic is still bound to your heart and your love. If he destroys it, not only will his powers return, but he will have his retribution.”

“Enough!” Sarah screamed, her tears of anguish freely flowing down her cheeks. “You horrible, twisted, pathetic creature! Stop trying to confuse me. I won’t let you inside my head!”

“Oh, but I already am inside your head,” Euryale hissed sinisterly. “You see, when my Chimera tasted your blood, I tasted it as well. I tasted your despair, so fresh it still bled.” Euryale closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, as if inhaling the aroma of a fine wine. “You know as well as I that Jareth has the ability to slip between worlds. What you don’t know is that he used a significant amount of his power to do so very recently. Though the effort weakened him considerably, it was the only chance he felt he had left.” Euryale opened her eyes, training her gaze fixedly on Sarah. “He was far too weak already to manifest himself in your world in solid form, but he still had the strength to influence those in your realm. Especially those particularly close to you.”

A cold numbness began to creep its way through Sarah’s body as an unsettling comprehension slowly dawned on her. “What are you saying?”

Euryale flashed Sarah an icy smile. “Isn’t it odd, my dear, that you were so easily and effectively discarded by your lover? Is it not peculiar how he turned away from you so suddenly and without warning? And then in a fit of despair, you flee and isolate yourself, only to miraculously rediscover the book that brought back the memories of this place? Do you really believe it all to be mere happenstance?”

“No,” Sarah whimpered in shock, gazing down and Jareth and back to Euryale. “Stop it!” She cried, throwing her hands up and covering her ears. “Just stop! Go away! Leave me alone!”

“As you wish. Poor mortal,” Euryale continued in a deprecating tone. “You have no conception of how little value you truly are. You are a mere plaything for the gods. I tried to warn you. I tried to reason with you, but you refused to listen. There is nothing more I can do and I cannot reason with your unprecedented tenacity.” Euryale began to slink away from Sarah and Jareth. She hesitated for a moment, throwing a backward glance at Sarah. “But you cannot deny that it is a rather extraordinary coincidence after all. Do you not agree?” With that final poisonous stab, Euryale slinked away, enveloped by the shadows that loomed throughout the room.

Sarah shuddered uncontrollably, tears streaming violently from her eyes as her mind spun itself into near insanity. She could barely bring herself to look down at Jareth as her agony and despair grew.

“She’s a snake,” Sarah whispered inaudibly to herself.

 _She would say anything to stop you from getting to the heart of the Labyrinth. You’re the only one who can stop her!_ Sarah’s inner voice reasoned.

Sarah sniffled pitifully, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging herself for some kind of comfort.

 _Or she could be telling the truth,_ the other voice argued.

 _NO!_ Sarah’s mind screamed. _You heard how she talks about mortals with such disdain. She is using your own doubt against you. She is playing you._

Sarah raised her swollen eyes to gaze down at Jareth. He remained as he had before, emaciated, pale and slowly dying.

“Wake up, you bastard,” Sarah whispered. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to think or feel anymore!”

Jareth lay quiet and still, unresponsive to her pleas.

Sarah dropped her head in her arms and began to sob loudly, her rage, anguish, despair and indecision flushing out of her in tumultuous and turbulent waves.

“Someone, please, tell me what I have to do. Please!” Sarah wailed into her arms, her breath hitching with her sobs. “I’m so lost.”

Sarah continued to weep until a welcome numbness finally cast itself over her and she could no longer feel the sorrow that had gripped her so fervently moments before. With the numbness came an eerie kind of calm and Sarah slowly regained control of herself once again. After a few more moments, she stood and gazed down at Jareth, red eyed and exhausted. In that instant, it became clear to Sarah what she had to do.

She had to wake up.


	13. Opened and Closed

Sarah trudged despondently through the maze of tunnels, paying little attention to the direction she was being led. Batson, oblivious to her melancholic disposition, prattled happily about things Sarah couldn’t even begin to make herself care about. She had barely said anything since she had awoken from her dream trip. Her companions had been too preoccupied during breakfast to notice her sullen demeanor. Sir Didymus and Batson had chatted cheerfully about the splendors and tactical advantages of living underground while Prell raved over Hoggle’s gallantry at making them all eggs.

However, now that they were away from the comfort and warmth of the Batson’s home and the very awkward farewell Prell had given Hoggle, her companions were beginning to notice her distant mood. Hoggle muttered something to Sir Didymus and Batson, dropping behind them and matching stride with Sarah.

“Are you okay?” He asked, concern lining his features. “You don’t look well.”

“I had a rough night,” Sarah whispered, feeling a heavy pit of dread settle in her stomach in her stomach as Euryale’s words echoed in her mind.

“You and me both,” Hoggle chuckled. “I thought I’d have to barricade the door! And can you believe she kissed me when we left?” Hoggle shook his head ruefully. “Cor! What a thing to---”

“Hoggle,” Sarah interrupted, unable to keep the questions that were eating away at her at bay any longer. “I have to ask you something and I need you to tell me the truth.”

Hoggle gazed up at Sarah, the humor leaving his eyes when he saw how serious she was. “Of course.”

“Did Jareth seek out Euryale?” The words felt sour and gritty as they left her mouth. Sarah didn’t even like thinking of the possible validity of the statement, let alone saying it aloud.

Hoggle stopped, his jaw nearly unhinging with shock as he gaped at Sarah. “What!? I-er-don’t know what you mean.”

Sarah stopped walking and crossed her arms over her chest. She swallowed several times, forcing the knot of emotion that clustered painfully in her throat down. “I went to him last night.”

“Oh, ya-you did, did you?” Hoggle stammered. “What’d he say?”

Sarah heaved a sigh, swiping viciously at a tear that began to form in her eye. She shook her head angrily. She wasn’t going to cry. Not again.

“Nothing. Nonsense.” Sarah watched Hoggle as he exhaled in relief and the tension left his body. It was obvious he was hiding something.

“But Euryale was there,” Sarah continued. “And she told me something about Jareth.” She sniffled as the tears began to brim in her eyes once again. She wondered how there could still be tears. Hadn’t she cried enough?

“And no matter how hard I try, I can’t shake the feeling that it was true.” Sarah gazed intently at Hoggle. “So, I need you to tell me the truth.”

Hoggle kicked at a small rock on the ground distractedly. “I don’t know nuthin’ ‘bout nuthin’,” he murmured, unable to meet Sarah’s gaze.

“Hoggle, please,” Sarah whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. “I have to know. Did Jareth trick her? Did he intend to gain her love to mend his powers? Was he using her?”

“Sarah,” Hoggle warned, refusing to meet her gaze. “I don’t think now’s the time.”

“You do know something!” Sarah retorted shrilly, her hand flying to her mouth in astonishment and despair. Part of her had known there was truth to Euryale’s tale, however she had been unable to accept it. Until now.

Hoggle shot a worried glance down the tunnel. Sir Didymus and Batson had drastically slowed their pace, giving Sarah and Hoggle privacy, but remaining close enough to give them light as Sir Didymus held the flaming Firey hand. Hoggle shifted uncomfortably.

“Tell me,” Sarah whispered, powerless to keep the tremor from her voice. “I need to know.”

“I--I can’t,” Hoggle mumbled.

A whimper of sadness escaped Sarah’s throat and the tears she had fought against so diligently spilled freely from her eyes. “I thought you were my friend.”

Hoggle gazed up at Sarah, wild dismay flashing through his features. “You are, Sarah! You are my friend. That’s why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want…” Hoggle trailed off and sighed heavily, his shoulders dropping in defeat. “I didn’t wanna see you hurt.”

“It’s too late for that,” she whispered hollowly. “Please, Hoggle. Tell me. I have to know.”

With his shoulders slumped and his eyes focused on his feet, Hoggle resumed walking down the path. Sarah plodded along next to him while Sir Didymus and Batson resumed their pace.

“When Jareth lost his powers, he did everything he could to get ‘em back,” Hoggle began hesitantly. “But he couldn’t ‘cause he was cursed. He decided to do somethin’ awful. He found a lonely, powerful Queen and tried to trick her into loving him.” Hoggle’s sad eyes drifted up to Sarah. “Euryale.”

Sarah felt an icy stab of cold slash through her heart and spread throughout her body until it embodied her very soul. It was as if her very breath had been taken from her. She had asked for the truth, but nothing could’ve prepared her for the anguish it brought. Sarah had never imagined that the truth would be more painful than anything had ever endured.

“Go on,” Sarah encouraged numbly, lost in the bleakness of her thoughts.

“I don’t know much beyond that,” Hoggle confessed. “Just that he never trusted her and he locked away part of himself so she could never have all of him.”

“So, it’s all true,” Sarah muttered, disheartened.

“I always said Jareth was a rat,” Hoggle offered sympathetically.

Sarah grimaced at the memory of Euryale’s words as they rang repeatedly in her ears. “All of this was just a way for him to get back at me. All of this was part of his master plan to exact his revenge.”

Hoggle tilted his head inquisitively. “His revenge? Whaddaya mean?”

Sarah shivered, wrapping her arms over her chest and cradling her elbows. “Euryale told me that she walked in on Jareth staring at images of me in his crystal balls and announcing his victory over her heart and that the time of my suffering was at hand.” Sarah relayed. “She said he wanted vengeance against me for bringing about his curse and fracturing his magic.”

Hoggle was silent a moment as they walked beside one another. “I never heard that,” Hoggle mused softly. “I heard lots of things, but never that. Not once.”

Sarah looked down at Hoggle, who appeared to be in deep contemplation. “What’re you saying?”

Hoggle’s mouth twisted in thought. “It’s just that, well, isn’t it convenient, what she said? I mean, you believe her?”

Sarah shook her head angrily. “I don’t know what to believe any longer. I’m at the end of my rope! I feel lost and betrayed. I don’t know what to think, Hoggle. I don’t know who I can trust.”

“You can trust me, Sarah,” Hoggle soothed.

“Can I?” Sarah hissed spitefully. “You haven’t exactly been forthcoming about this.”

Hoggle recoiled from Sarah, visibly wounded. Sarah closed her eyes, immediately regretting her outburst. She rubbed her hands over her face. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It was cruel of me.”

Hoggle shuffled quietly beside Sarah, shoving his hands inside the pockets of his billowy shirt.

“Can you forgive me?” Sarah asked hopefully.

“Nothin’ to forgive,” Hoggle said with a shrug. “You got every right to be upset. I didn’t tell you, but I should’ve and I will from now on.” Hoggle looked up at Sarah, his eyes warm and friendly. A wave of remorse and guilt crashed through Sarah. She shouldn’t have lashed out at him like she did. He hadn’t deserved it.

“So, I’ll tell you this,” Hoggle started. “You know how I feel about Jareth. I think he’s a devious, spoiled, self serving worm.” Hoggle’s eyes darted in panic up ahead, making sure Batson hadn’t heard him. He sighed in relief as he saw Sir Didymus and their little worm friend were too preoccupied with their own conversation to have heard Hoggle’s slanderous remark. “That bein’ said, he loved you.” Hoggle continued earnestly. “And he kept loving you even after you’d left him in ruins. Never once did I hear talk or rumors of revenge.”

Sarah felt her heart slowly begin to thaw and beat again. “Really?”  
“Honest,” Hoggle swore. “I don’t like Jareth, never have and I think he got a taste of his own medicine. But I won’t lie to you. Despite my feelings for him, that don’t change the fact that he really did love you. And still does.”

Sarah exhaled forcefully, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted from her chest. For the first time in a long time, she felt as if she were finally able to catch her breath. “Thank you, Hoggle. I needed to hear that. You really are one of the best friends I could ever ask--”

“Go back!” A booming voice commanded, interrupting Sarah and nearly making the bones in her body jump out of her skin. Sarah gripped her chest, her eyes darting with rapid frenzy to the origins of the booming voice.

“The path you take will bring nothing but pain and despair!” Another voice boomed.

“You will not survive--”

“Oh, Shut up!” Hoggle growled, kicking dirt at the false alarms that littered the chamber they had entered.

“My, my, such a chatty bunch today,” Batson remarked. “Wonder what’s got into ‘em?”

“They’re pests is what they are,” Hoggle growled.

“We’re just doing our job,” one of the false alarms complained.

“Yeah,” another piped up.

“You don’t gotta do it with us!” Hoggle griped.

“But we never get to do it!” Another false alarm whined.

Hoggle waved his hand dismissively at the false alarm, catching up to Batson and Sir Didymus. “Which way?”

Batson appraised the tunnels and inclined his head to the third entrance. “This one.”

“You really shouldn’t go down that tunnel,” a false alarm with a crumbling nose called after them.

“Oh, quiet, you!” Hoggle blustered, smacking the stone fixture’s nose. Pieces of rock cascaded from the false alarm and landed on the ground.

“Hey!” The false alarm moaned, going crossed eyed as it tried to look at the gaping hole where its nose used to be. “That’s not nice!”

“Well, serves you right!” Hoggle grumbled unapologetically.

“Oh, but I was only trying to help,” the false alarm whimpered pitifully. “You really shouldn’t go down that tunnel.”

Sarah stopped, scooping up bits of the broken rock in her hand. The false alarm gazed at her miserably.

“Hold on,” she said softly, walking over to Ambrosius and unzipping a pocket in her backpack. She pulled out a pack of gum and unwrapped a stick, popping it into her mouth.

“It’s not glue,” she explained. “But it’s the only thing I can think of to get your nose back on.”

“Aw, you don’t hafta do that!” Hoggle groused impatiently. “He deserved it.”

Sarah chewed on the gum, ignoring Hoggle’s outburst. She pulled the gum from her mouth and stuck it against the stone and then carefully tried to fit in back onto the false alarm. The fixture grinned happily at her.

Sarah smiled back, trying not to laugh at the crooked nose. “Sorry, it’s the best I can do.”

“Thank you,” the alarm said appreciatively. “But please, don’t go down that tunnel.”

“Really!” Sir Didymus huffed. “After she showed you such kindness, you still play your tricks? You ought to be ashamed!” Sir Didymus turned with a flourish, mounting Ambrosius and trotting towards the tunnel, followed by Batson and Hoggle.

“No, really! There’s something hiding in the distance. Don’t go that way!” The false alarm called after them. The alarm looked at Sarah, its rock features twisting with concern. Sarah felt a chill rush up her arms at the warning. The other false alarms had always announced their lines with rehearsed vibrato, but this one seemed truly concerned.

“Maybe we should listen to it,” Sarah started hesitantly.

“Nah, them’s just false alarms,” Batson said, continuing forward. “There’s never been any danger down in these tunnels. ‘Sides, we’re almost there!”

Sarah bit her lip, looking between her companions and the false alarm.

“I’m sorry about your nose,” she said genuinely. “I hope it holds.”

“Be careful,” the false alarm whispered earnestly. “Something sinister lurks in the dark.”

A spike of dread crept down Sarah’s spine, leaving her feeling as if she had just walked through a large spider web and there was something crawling on her.

“Thanks for the warning,” Sarah mumbled, jogging to catch up with her companions. She threw a backwards glance back to the false alarm. The alarm continued to watch her, worry and fear creasing its rock hewn features.

“Maybe we should’ve listened to them,” Sarah panted as she caught up with her companions. “They seemed serious.”

“Them's false alarms for ya,” Batson reassured her. “Pay ‘em no nevermind.”

Sarah nodded in compliance, unable to quell the feeling of dread and tension that began to build inside her. However, she held her tongue and continued after her friends.

In a matter of minutes, the tunnel opened up into a large, rocky cavern. Sarah blinked as the flame from the Firey hand seemed to bounce and reflect off the jagged rocks that littered the chamber, making everything incredibly disorienting.    

“Right!” Batson announced. “Now we go through there and make a left down to--”

A sinister growl cut through the cavern, effectively cutting off Batson.

Sarah’s stomach dropped and her feeling of dread gave way to full fledged terror. Her eyes widened in fear as she stood rigid and frozen in place. Hoggle mimicked her stance, panic sweeping through his features.

“Wha-wha-what was that?” He trembled.

Sir Didymus growled and held the Firey hand up high in an effort to illuminate the chamber. Sarah squinted against the dim light, her eyes meticulously scanning the cavern. Her breath quickened, coming out in short, rapid gasps.

“It came from over there,” she quavered.

“Careful now,” Batson remarked quietly. “Back to the tunnel.”

“You start back,” Sir Didymus ordered, unsheathing his blade and dismounting Ambrosius. “I’ll hold whatever foul thing lurking in the darkness off.” He walked cautiously towards the origins of the growl.

“Sir Didymus!” Sarah hissed, urging him to not be so foolhardy. “Get back here!”

Before Sir Didymus could respond, another ground shattering growl erupted and echoed through the chamber. Sarah felt her heart nearly stop as she realized the growl had come from behind her this time. Instinctively, Sarah dropped to her knees at the sound. The beast sprang at her. She felt the wet, fetid breath of the creature brush hotly over her cheek as it lunged past her and into the darkness.

“Didymus!” Sarah shrieked, flopping unceremoniously across the ground on her stomach.

“Milady!” Sir Didymus shouted, turning towards Sarah.

The creature landed heavily on the ground, turning quickly to face Sarah and the others. Sarah clambered to her feet, her mind racing and her blood pulsing loudly against her temples. Even in her terror addled and irrational state, a strong sense of understanding gripped her. Sarah didn’t need to see the attacking creature to know what it was, for it had been stalking her ever since she had arrived back in the Labyrinth. It had been obsessively hunting her ever since it had tasted her blood. Sir Didymus jumped in front of Sarah, barking and swiping viciously at the creature. As the flame from the blazing Firey hand bathed the mighty beast in orange light, Sarah’s fear was confirmed.

The Chimera stood panting shallowly, its twisted gaze setting ravenously on Sarah. Its long tongue snaked from its deadly maw, trailing wetly over the fur around its mouth. The dark tongue flicked through the air, as if it were tasting something.

Sarah’s breath caught in her throat. _It can taste my fear._

The Chimera’s tail flicked with anticipation, the snake head rising up in a predatory pose. Sarah noticed its deadly ruby red eyes were also focused completely on her.

Sarah stood frozen, hypnotized by the large beast whose jaws snapped hungrily for her flesh.

 _Run!_ Her mind screamed in panic at her. _Just run!_

But Sarah was unable to heed the voice inside her head. She was literally frozen in place by the deadly gaze of the creature’s tail, trapped as a fly becomes ensnared by the spider’s web. There was no escape for her. There was only death.

“Run, milady!” Sir Didymus screeched, noticing her hypnotic state. He struck his sword out quickly, slashing the beast across its broad snout. The creature howled with unholy rage, swiping at Sir Didymus, causing him to lose his grip on the Firey hand as he was knocked across the cavern. Sir Didymus collided with Hoggle who had been unable to move due to his own shock and fear. They both rolled into the wall and slumped together silently on the ground.

As suddenly as it had taken hold of her, the trance was broken and Sarah was once again in control of her own body and senses.

“Didymus! Hoggle!” Sarah cried, looking in dismay to her two unconscious friends. The Chimera snarled, pulling Sarah’s attention back to the lumbering beast that approached her. Long strands of saliva fell from its snarled mouth. Its teeth gleamed yellow and deadly in the dimming Firey light. Sarah felt the freezing sensation once again begin to drift over her as she stared horrified into the horizontal slit of the creature’s eyes. What terrified her more was the recognition she saw in them. It knew who she was and it wanted her.

“Suuraah,” it growled.

The monster knew her name.

Sarah felt herself shrivel to the ground as every hair on her body stood on end. It was the sound only a nightmare would make, but from this particular nightmare, there was no waking up.

“Oi, beasty! Looky, ya big, nasty galoot!” Batson shouted, trying to get the Chimera’s attention.

The Chimera wasn’t phased by Batson’s attempts to distract it. The beast was only interested in Sarah. She could feel its murderous desire for her blood come off it in waves.

“Oh, God,” Sarah trembled as the Chimera lunged at her.

“Help!” She screamed, squeezing her eyes shut tightly and bracing for the penetration of teeth and claws into her flesh. Sarah felt the ground beneath her open up and she was yanked downward, her scream following her into the deep, earthen darkness of the ground.

Sarah gasped for breath, her eyes snapping open. Dazed and disoriented, she saw she hung suspended in the air as the Chimera howled furiously, swiping at her in futility.

“What?” Sarah muttered looking around her. “What’s going on?” White rocks dangled all about her. Sarah squinted in the dim light, realizing the the things dangling about her were not rocks at all, but hands! It took her only a moment longer to realize that they were the ones suspending her in the air as well.

Several sets of hands laced intricately together in front of her. “You asked for help, we’re helping!”

Sarah gawked at the hands, a distant memory surfacing past the confusion and terror that soaked her mind.

“Hands,” she panted. “Helping hands?”

Another set of hands spoke behind her. “That’s right!” They exclaimed happily.

“You saved my---” Sarah’s gratitude was cut short as the Chimera suddenly lurched further into the hole. Sarah screamed again as the hands dropped her out of the beast’s reach. The Chimera snarled with frustrated anger, pawing viciously at Sarah who cowered against the hands.

“Thank you,” Sarah gasped  breathlessly, keeping her eyes trained on the enraged Chimera.

“Where would you like to go, my dear?” A new set of hands with an elderly voice asked her.

“What?” Sarah asked, confused and unable to process the request while death hovered and swiped at her from above.

“Up or down?” Another set of hands asked impatiently.

“Might I suggest down?” The hands with the elderly voice stated helpfully.

“What? No! I can’t leave my friends!” Sarah shouted. “That thing will kill them.”

“Then what do you want to do?” A third set of hands asked her.

Sarah’s mind raced indecisively as the beast continued to grab at her. The hands did well to maintain her out of the creature’s reach. They neither seemed phased nor injured by the Chimera’s teeth, claws or persistence. Sarah felt the hands reposition themselves against her body, ready to drop her down if the Chimera wedged itself further into the hole. Even though the position in which the hands held her was incredibly uncomfortable, not to mention some highly inappropriate placements of a few hands, and their grip was painful to say the least, Sarah was grateful for their intervention.

“Sir Didymus?” Sarah yelled, hoping her voice would drift past the infuriated beast. “Hoggle? Can anyone hear me?”

“They’re not in good sorts, love,” Batson responded beside her ear.

Sarah jerked with involuntarily surprise at the sound of Batson. She craned her head to see him peeping through a hole beside the hands.

“Batson!” Sarah breathed in relief. “Are they okay?”

“Got a knock on the ‘ead, I reckon,” Batson murmured, looking up in great surprise at the snarling beast. “That’s a lively one, that is!”

The creature roared sinisterly, sending streams of drool from its snapping jaws.

Sarah shuddered in disgust as she was showered with the noxious smelling saliva.

“Ugh,” she groaned, her stomach churning. “Batson, how did you get down here so fast?”

“I’m a worm!” Batson boasted. “It’s me job to tunnel.”

“Can you get back to them?” Sarah asked eagerly. “Can you--”

The Chimera roared again, wedging itself further into the hole and nearly grabbing Sarah with its scaly claws. The hands quickly dropped Sarah out of reach again. Sarah hissed in pain as their fingers dug torturously into her arms and the underside of her legs as they gripped her. However, it was a price she was more than willing to pay in order to keep safe.

“Batson?!” Sarah cried, searching frantically for the little blue worm.

The wall beside Sarah crumbled slightly and Batson emerged, eyes bright and alert. “Sorry for the delay. I’m not quite as fast as I used to be.”

Sarah struggled to control her rampant, shallow breaths. The Chimera would eventually make it down the hole and she wasn’t sure how much further the hands could go.

“Batson,” Sarah breathed gratefully.  “Listen, I have an idea, but I need your help.”

“Of course!” Batson answered, leaning back as the Chimera swiped at the air again, edging painstakingly close to Sarah.

“Here’s what we need to do,” Sarah explained hurriedly to the hands and Batson, grasping the vial that Titania had given her which still hung from the chain around her neck.

“Got it?” Sarah asked.

Batson nodded in compliance and several pairs of hands murmured in agreement.

“Okay, are we--” The hands dropped Sarah without warning as the Chimera very nearly grabbed her. Sarah felt the brush of rough scales against her cheek as it swung for her and missed. The creature bellowed its discontent.

Sarah whimpered, clutching the vial tightly.

“Best hurry,” a group of hands warned. “We got no more room to go.”

“Batson, go!” Sarah commanded, unable to see the little blue worm any longer. She prayed that her plan would work.

Unable to see or hear her companions, Sarah waited anxiously, the seconds agonizingly ticking away as if they were hours. With every moment that passed, the Chimera drew closer to Sarah. She trembled, squeezing her eyes shut, as if somehow not seeing the creature would protect her from its presence.

“Suuurah,” its guttural growl wafted over her, closer than before. Despite the heat that emanated off the creature, a cold chill spread through Sarah, causing a prickling sensation to resonate down her arms and legs. Sarah leaned back into the hands, slight whimpers of dismay escaping from her with each panicked breath. Long strands of drool pelted her and Sarah felt her stomach twist and heave with revulsion.   

In a moment of weakness, Sarah opened her eyes. A scream of fear welled up in Sarah’s throat as she realized the creature had made it even closer to her. It was very nearly on top of her now. The hands grabbed desperately at the beast, holding it back and endeavoring to keep it at bay.

“Come on, Batson, Didymus,” Sarah whimpered as she stared up into the creature’s eyes. They burned with an unnatural desire, filled with more than just feral fury. They were bloodthirsty, voracious. The Chimera had tasted her blood and it wanted more. Much more.

The creature was so close now that she could feel its fetid breath washing damply over her face.

“Suuuurah,” it rumbled once more and Sarah felt her heart seize in her chest. In that moment, she was convinced that there was no escape. She knew she was going to die. This nightmarish monster would be the last thing she would see and its guttural growl of her name and her own screams would be the last thing she would ever hear.

Sarah grasped the vial that hung around her neck tightly, deciding that she wouldn’t go down without a fight when suddenly, the creature’s back erupted in a shower of brilliant orange and yellow flame.

The creature bellowed angrily, causing Sarah to release her death grip on the vial and press her palms tightly against her ears.

Unable to reach the flames that burned it, the Chimera was forced to retreat from the hole, its bloodthirst momentarily quelled by the need for revenge.

Sarah hadn’t realized she’d been holding her breath in anticipation of the attack. She exhaled forcefully, relief flooding through her body and burning lungs. However, she knew that the danger was far from over.

“Sir Didymus!” Sarah screamed. “Are you ready?”

“Ready!” Sir Didymus shouted.  
Sarah watched anxiously as the creature reversed itself out of the hole to turn its angst on its attackers.

“Now!” Sarah told the hands. “Lift me out and be ready!”

Numerous hands held her firmly, deftly raising her up and through the hole. As she ascended, Sarah once again found her hand resting on the glass vial.

“Please let this work,” she mumbled to herself as the hands hoisted her up and over the edge of the hole.

Sir Didymus, having reclaimed his sword, stood rigid and ready for battle. He was poised in a snarling standoff with the smoldering Chimera. The smell of burnt fur and flesh hung acridly in the air. Hoggle trembled behind Sir Didymus while Batson peeked curiously at the scene from Hoggle’s shoulder. Ambrosius was nowhere to be seen.

“Now!” Sarah commanded the moment her feet hit solid ground. Sir Didymus promptly slashed the Chimera across the face with his sword. The Chimera reeled back in pain and surprise. While the creature was preoccupied, Sir Didymus tossed his sword to Sarah. The creature reared up, flailing its arms wildly at Sir Didymus and catching the sword with a heavy paw as it sailed through the air.

Time almost seemed to stop for Sarah as she saw the sword bounce off the creature’s paw and fly opposite of her and into the cave wall. The sword struck the stone sharply, tumbling to the ground with a noisy clatter.

Without thinking, Sarah bolted for the sword, wrenching the vial free from her neck as she did. The creature swiped in retaliation at Sir Didymus who swiftly retreated behind a pile of rocks for cover. It was here Sarah finally saw the shuddering tail of Ambrosius.

Sarah dove for the sword, scraping her knees and elbow in the process. She hurriedly yanked the top off the vial with trembling hands, pouring the contents of it onto the tip and blade of the sword.

By now, the creature had realized the ruse and had turned its attention back to Sarah. It bounded ferociously across the chamber after her. Sarah’s eyes went wide at the pure, unbridled fury of the creature and the vial slipped from her fear numbed fingers. Unable to retrieve it in time, Sarah opted to run from the creature, hoping she had spilled enough of Titania’s blood on the blade to do the trick. Sarah scampered quickly to the hole, but the beast had anticipated her move and quickly cut her off.

Sarah gasped, brandishing the sword with inexperienced wildness at the creature. The Chimera dodged her efforts easily, striking out with its claws and slashing at her outstretched arm. Sarah cried out in pain and shock as she felt the creature’s claws tear through her already ripped cardigan and through the flesh of her forearm, knocking the sword from her hand. The sword skittered across the ground, bouncing off a rock and coming to a rest beside the hole.

Sarah grabbed her arm reflexively, gaping in sheer terror at the creature that loomed towards her. Warm blood trickled down her arm and seeped through the bandages that covered her hand. Sarah watched as the creature’s nostrils flared as it inhaled the scent of her blood. Its eyes rolled back in its head, as if the smell of her blood was nearly as satisfying as feasting on it. The snake tail of the creature rose without warning, its cold, ruby red eyes fixating on Sarah. There was a satisfaction reflected within the depths of those eyes. The Chimera was about to get everything it so desperately wanted and no matter how hard Sarah fought to look away, she was powerless to break the spell. All she could do was look into those horrible, glowing eyes and see the delight in them as the beast went for its kill.

“Sarah!” Hoggle shrieked, throwing a heavy rock at the Chimera. The stone struck the snake head tail, causing it to turn and hiss in rage at Hoggle. Immediately, the trance was broken and Sarah was once again able to move. However, the Chimera wasn’t about to give up its prey so easily. It leapt at Sarah, a savage growl of victory echoing off the walls. Sarah dropped heavily to the ground, banging her shoulder painfully against stone. She rolled under the creature as it sailed over her, landing hard where she had been only seconds ago. Sarah continued to roll away, scrambling to her knees and palms and making a frenzied grab for the sword before plunging head first into the hole.

Sarah didn’t have time to think or hope the hands were ready for her. She relied completely on trust. She wasn’t disappointed as the hands caught her, slowing her descent as she fell through the hole.

“Turn me over!” Sarah commanded. The hands awkwardly flipped her over and Sarah gripped the sword tightly, anticipating her next move.

As the hands righted Sarah, she was shocked to see that the Chimera had already dove into the hole after her and was nearly upon her. The creature reached for her, its claws shredding through the material of her jeans and ripping her skin. Sarah screamed in pain and reeled her arms back in response. She held the sword in both hands and aimed for the creature, cautioning herself to wait. She didn’t want to drop the sword or have it knocked from her hold at a crucial moment.

“Come on, you bastard!” Sarah shouted over the guttural and incessant snarls of the beast. “You want me? Come and get me!”

The Chimera forced itself through the hole further at her taunt and Sarah made her mark. She ruthlessly plunged the tip of the blade as hard as she could muster into the right eye of the sinister beast. The creature let loose an unholy wail of rage and agony, swiping no longer at Sarah, but at the blade imbedded in its eye.

Sarah continued to force the blade even further into the monster that hovered above her until she had no more leverage. She released the sword and fell back against the hands, cringing as the beast bled and foamed in anguish.

Sarah swallowed hard and closed her eyes, waiting for the gut wrenching howls and screeches to come to an end. The wails were deafening and felt as if they would consume her entire soul. Sarah knew they would plague her nightmares for the rest of her life. It was the Chimera’s dying curse. It wanted her to remember its pain. Then suddenly, the cries stopped and everything was eerily silent.

Sarah kept her eyes closed, hearing only the sound of her ragged breaths and the massive thudding of her heart. After a moment, she reluctantly opened her eyes. The Chimera hung mere inches from her, its one good eye still open and gazing intently at her. Its tongue dangled lifelessly past its hideous teeth, foam and blood dripping from the end of it. Sarah felt her stomach twist into horrible knots as waves of sickness overtook her.

“Get me out of here,” she sobbed to the hands. “Please.”

The hands quickly began lifting the creature out of the hole first, testing it to make sure it was in fact dead. As soon as the path was clear, they began to ascend Sarah as well. She concentrated on taking deep breaths, endeavoring to calm the queasy feeling that had taken hold of her stomach. She shuddered from the damp sweat that made her clothes and hair cling to her body. Her thigh and forearm throbbed in red hot pain and she worried about infection. As soon as the hands lifted her out of the hole, Sarah stumbled forward uneasily on her feet. She clutched her stomach and collapsed to her knees.

“Sarah?” Hoggle gasped, running over to her. He tentatively touched her shoulder. Sarah shook uncontrollably, her stomach twisting and untwisting with waves of nausea. She grabbed Hoggle roughly and hugged him tightly, bursting into relieved and frightened tears. He returned her embrace, brushing his stubby fingers through her tangled mess of hair.

“Is it dead?” Sarah trembled, unable to look upon the creature.

“Yes,” Sir Didymus confirmed, striving to pull his sword which was still imbedded in the creature’s eye. “Never have I seen such a valiant effort, milady. You are not only a fair maiden, but a brave warrior. Blessings upon you. We owe you our very lives.”

Sarah sniffled against Hoggle. “I owe you guys.” She forced herself to take a few deep, calming breaths before looking over her shoulder and to the hole.

“I owe them, too,” Sarah murmured, a small relieved smile touching her lips.

Hoggle chuckled reflectively before exclaiming in shock at the blood that caked Sarah’s forearm and pants. “Cor! You’ve been hurt!”

Sarah nodded numbly, gazing at the wounds. “Yeah, it scratched me.” She looked worriedly at Hoggle. “Can I get sick from the scratches?”

Hoggle shook his head rapidly. “I--I don’t know.”

Sarah’s breath hitched and fear began to percolate through her system. Everything was far too overwhelming. She could not think straight.

“What of that vial?” Batson asked.

“Vial?” Sarah replied dumbly.

“Right, that vial with that stuff in it,” Batson remarked patiently. “What was in there?”

“Titania,” Sarah whispered. “There might still be some blood left. We have to find the vial.”

“S’right ‘ere,” Batson announced. “Looks like it’s got some stuff left.”

Sarah stood up quickly, taking a few clumsy steps towards Batson before collapsing again the cavern wall. Her hands shook at her sides. Obviously, she was still in shock.

“Hoggle,” Sarah muttered. “Would you?”

“Of course!” Hoggle said, jumping up and running to Batson.

Sir Didymus came up beside Sarah, placing a friendly paw to her cheek. “You look unwell, milady. Allow me to fetch the bandages and I will tend to those wounds.”

Sarah nodded weakly, unable to find the strength to form any words. Hoggle returned with the vial and handed it to Sarah. She held it up against the dim light provided by the discarded Firey hand and was relieved to see a small amount of blood still left in the vial.

“I think I’ll be okay,” she whispered, pooling the precious liquid against her fingertips and running it over wounds the Chimera had inflicted upon her.

Sir Didymus returned with the bandages. He and the others watched in awe as the deep red and raw sinew of the wounds in Sarah’s skin began to knit themselves together and slowly heal. Sarah began to suspect that Titania’s blood not only counteracted the Chimera poison, but contained healing properties as well.

“I suppose you won’t be needing these,” Sir Didymus remarked in wonderment as he appraised Sarah’s nearly healed forearm, stowing his wrappings back in Ambrosius’ saddle bag.  

“I think I need to rest now,” Sarah replied sleepily, her head lulling to the side. “I’m so tired.”

“Sarah, we can’t stay here.” Hoggle reasoned reluctantly.

“Let the girl rest, lads,” Batson said softly. “She’s earned it.”

“I don’t dispute that, but my friend is right, it’s not safe here for the fair maiden,” Sir Didymus rebuked. “We must keep moving.”

Sarah strove against the beckoning slumber. She wanted nothing more than to drift away from the carnage and the pain, but her companions were right. She wasn’t safe. None of them were.

With considerable effort, Sarah forced her eyes open. “You’re right. We need to keep moving.”

Batson gawked up at Sarah with admiration as she struggled unsteadily to her feet.

“You sure about that, love?” He asked with concern.

Sarah nodded, leaning against the cave wall for support. “Yes. Which way, Batson?”

“Jus’ down the corridor there,” he mumbled, shaking his head slowly in awe of her resolve.

“Alright, let’s get moving.” Sarah walked warily over to the hole, avoiding the body of the Chimera as best as she could.

“Thank you for your help,” she called down sincerely. “Without you, the Chimera would’ve killed me.”

A bunch of hands formed a face. “Happy to help, Keeper. We are helping hands, after all. If you need us again, just call.”

Before she could reply, the ground quickly closed and the hands disappeared. Sarah’s forehead knotted in consternation.

“How’d they know?” She mumbled.

“Know what?” Hoggle asked.

Sarah looked over to him, her fatigue replaced by intrigue. “How’d they know I was the Keeper?”

“Why just ‘bout everyone knows that,” Batson interjected. Sarah and her companions turned to the small worm who beamed up at them brightly.

“What?” Sarah gaped. “How could you know? I never got a chance to tell you!”

“Rumors, ‘member?” Batson replied. “No one worries ‘bout what a worm ‘ears. Stories ‘bout you’ve been all over the Labyrinth these past few days.” Batson explained. “I wasn’t sure ‘til you told us your name. Your return is somethin’ of a blessing, it is. It’s bein’ said that you’re descendant from the Keepers of old. The last of the Keeper bloodline.”

Sarah painfully bent down to Batson. “The last of the Keeper bloodline? What else have you heard?”

“That’s ‘bout the gist of it,” Batson said truthfully. “Except that you needed to ‘ave your powers awakened.”

“Awakened?” Sir Didymus murmured contemplatively. “How?”

“Couldn’t say,” Batson tilted his head as if to shrug. “But from the looks of things, you’ve already got some power.”

Sarah nodded, peering down the tunnel, lost in her own thought. There were so many questions, but so few answers. Sarah only knew one thing for certain; time was running out for her and for Jareth.

“How did it get down here, I wonder?” Hoggle mused, chancing a glance at the massive, dead creature. He grimaced at the hulking body of the dead beast.

“I reckon he burrowed,” Batson observed. “That nasty must’ve wanted you pretty bad.” Batson’s eyes drifted to Sarah.

She nodded, unsettled by the revelation. It gave her all the more reason to press on to the heart of the Labyrinth despite her many maladies.

“We should get going,” Sarah muttered, deep in thought. She stood up stiffly, striding over to the discarded Firey hand and picking it up. She was immensely grateful for the lump of cold meat now. It had played a vital part in saving her life.

“Are you alright to travel, fair maiden?” Sir Didymus inquired, scrutinizing Sarah studiously. “We can rest a moment longer if you desire.”

Sarah shook her head, striking the Firey hand against the rocks to encourage the flame to burn brighter. “No, we’re so close,” Sarah whispered. “I can feel it. I can’t rest until I retrieve the pendant.”

“Then what’re we waiting for?” Hoggle announced, coming up beside Sarah.

“Batson,” Sarah motioned to the little worm. “If you would be so kind as to take the lead?”

  
“It would be me pleasure,” he smiled deviously at her. “Keeper.”


	14. A Kind of Pale Jewel

Sarah plodded with exhaustion, hanging back ever so slightly from her companions. Her body ached despite the healing qualities of Titania’s blood and her thoughts were mired with constant uncertainty. Sarah snickered at herself as she realized the feeling was beginning to become second nature to her character. Ever since she had returned to the Labyrinth, she had been viciously pulled one way and then another. It was truly a wonder how she kept her sanity.

_ Maybe I haven’t,  _ she thought wistfully.  _ Maybe I have lost my mind. _

Sarah shivered, pulling what was left of her cardigan tightly around herself with her left hand as her right held the flaming Firey stump. She wondered if she should just leave her cardigan behind, but quickly decided against it. The air suddenly seemed so much colder than it had before. Sarah became aware that she could see her breath freezing in the air as it escaped her lips. When had it gotten so cold? 

“We’ve arrived,” Batson announced, breaking through the vault of her thoughts.

Sarah blinked several times, endeavoring to crawl out of her own mind and back to reality.

“Whoa,” Hoggle uttered, astonished.

“My, my,” Sir Didymus murmured reverently, dismounting Ambrosius.

“Is that it?” Sarah asked, her eyes widening with awestruck amazement as she gazed with her companions at the magnificent door which rose impressively before them.

_ The Olympic Titan Atlas himself could fit through this door,  _ Sarah thought as she appraised the massive structure which loomed before her. Sarah sniggered at the ludicrousy of the thought, but then soberly reminded herself of the situation she was currently in. In a short amount of time, her entire perspective had changed. Was it really so far fetched to believe that the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt and others cultures may not be mere myths after all?

Sarah stood in wonder and admiration of the behemoth in front of her. Her eyes trailed over the dark, intricate filigree carvings that adorned the door, making it appear beautiful despite its heavy, foreboding presence. The black filigree shimmered in the firelight, reminding Sarah of obsidian. As Sarah swept the Firey hand around, something glittered pleasingly in the firelight. 

“Ooh, what’s that?” Hoggle purred.

Sarah leaned in for a closer inspection and noticed a brilliant blue hued stone decorated the middle of the door. Wisps of frozen mist crested off the stone and it took longer than Sarah cared to admit to realize that it was not a stone at all, but a jewel shaped block of ice. 

“Ice?” Sarah pondered aloud, noticing her frozen breath once again. She swept the Firey hand around, illuminating the area. Beside the door, the walls shimmered, frozen solid. Large glacier rocks littered the ground beside the walls, tipped with white frost. Wisps of frozen air crested off these as well. Sarah had been so focused and lost in her own thoughts that she hadn’t noticed the rock walls of the Labyrinth turn to blocks of ice.

Sarah and the other inspected the frozen tundra that had become the Labyrinth while Hoggle continued to mumble appreciatively about the ice jewel which hung from the door. He began reaching for it.

Sarah was gripped by an unfounded sense of urgency and she turned suddenly to Hoggle, reaching out her free hand towards him.

“Stop!” Sarah shouted, her sharp tone resonating off the ice and the walls.

Hoggle froze in mid-stride, turning to Sarah with wide eyed shock.

“What’s wrong?” Sir Didymus asked, reacting to Sarah’s tension. 

Sarah blinked in confusion as the anxiety drained from her as suddenly as it had overcome her. She lowered her outstretched arm. 

“It-it’s dangerous,” Sarah stammered. Her companions looked to her as if they expected more of an explanation. 

“How do you know?” Hoggle asked.

Sarah shrugged. “I don’t know how I know, but I do.”

“You might be right about that,” Batson mumbled, his eyes trained on the frozen rocks. 

“What do you mean?” Sir Didymus asked.

“Look at ‘em closely,” Batson said, inclining his head.

Sarah followed the little worm’s gaze, squinting as she peered at the ice rocks. She felt her throat tighten, locking with a scream that would never quite reach her lips. The dark objects she had mistaken for rocks trapped in ice finally took form. 

“Oh, dear,” Sir Didymus gasped.

“Those aren’t rocks,” Sarah shuddered, finally finding her voice. “Those are creatures!”

Apprehensively, Sarah approached the glaciers which served as a kind of prison for the creatures entombed in them. She studied the closest one meticulously. Through the solid, distorting layers of ice, Sarah was able to make out the face of a goblin. She raised her eyes and looked to another ice tomb and saw another creature she couldn’t identify. There were dozens if not a hundred different creatures forever solidified in the icy tombs.

“Cor!” Hoggle exclaimed in disbelief, his gaze wandering from the poor creatures encased in ice and back to the alluring jewel. “Ya think that did it to ‘em?”

“It would appear so,” Sir Didymus answered gravely, examining the frozen bodies. 

“I feel like it’s almost calling me,” Hoggle said distractedly.

“It  _ is  _ calling to you,” Sarah mumbled darkly. “It’s calling to all of us. It wants to be touched. It wants to feed on us.”

“But it’s so pretty,” Hoggle argued, his eyes still on the jewel. 

Sarah was quickly reminded of the field of blood thirsty flowers. They had been pretty as well. She shuddered involuntarily at the memory. “Not everything which is beautiful is harmless.”

“If that is the case, we should be mindful of what we touch,” Sir Didymus observed. “Heavens knows what dangers could be-- Ambrosius, don’t lick that, you fool!” Sir Didymus shrieked.

Ambrosius ignored Sir Didymus, languishing his tongue against one of the frozen glacier blocks. As his tongue slid up the ice, his eyes focused on the terrorized goblin trapped inside. Ambrosius  yelped in fright, endeavoring to retract his tongue which was now adhered to the frozen tomb. He whimpered and howled in horror.

“Now look what you’ve done!” Sir Didymus chastised as he made his way over to Ambrosius. “Calm down now and let me take a look.”

“My, my, what a spectacle!” Batson commented as Sir Didymus did his best to pry the poor animal’s tongue carefully from the ice. 

Sarah considered helping Sir Didymus when the same feeling of unease gripped her again. She turned just in time to see Hoggle reaching for the jewel.  

“Hoggle!” Sarah cried out. She dropped the Firey hand and ran, nearly tackling the little dwarf as she grabbed him.  

“Let go of me!” He growled, thrashing and kicking at Sarah. “I wants that jewel!”

“Hoggle, it’s a trick!” Sarah yelled, dropping to her knees, grasping his shoulders tightly and shaking him. “Don’t you see what it does? Fight it. You have to!”

Hoggle struggled for a moment longer, his eyes full of angry desire as he glared at the jewel. 

“Hoggle, look at me!” Sarah pleaded.

Finally, the little dwarf’s gaze landed on Sarah. She had never seen his eyes so full of hate. It was as if he didn’t recognize her at all.

“Hoggle,” she said gently. “It’s me. It’s Sarah.”

Hoggle’s features softened and he slumped heavily against her in defeat.

“I--I--I don’t know what got into me,” he stuttered mournfully, his forehead still pressed against her shoulder. 

Sarah pursed her lips and wrapped her arms around her friend. “It’s okay.”

As Sarah comforted Hoggle, Sir Didymus did the same for Ambrosius, who he had free from the ice. Ambrosius looked positively grim and fed up with the adventure. Sarah sympathized with him.

“What do we do now?” Batson asked, peering cautiously at the blue ice gem on the door.

Sarah stood up, leading Hoggle away from the door and to the others. She bent down and scooped up the discarded Firey hand. 

“Let’s open the door,” Sarah replied resolutely.

“Careful, now,” Batson warned.

Sarah nodded, taking in a deep breath and approaching the door. She felt the eyes of her comrades on her as she held the smoldering Firey hand. Unsure how to proceed, Sarah did the only thing she could think of. She decided to try to melt the jewel with fire.

She thrust the Firey hand against the beautiful ice shaped jewel. She heard Hoggle whimper with regret at her actions, but he didn’t try to stop her. 

Instantly, the brilliant flame was extinguished and ice enveloped the Firey hand and Sarah’s own hands.

“Ah!” Sarah yelped, withdrawing from the door and dropping the Firey hand.

“Milady!” Sir Didymus gasped, running to her. Sarah instinctively buried her hands under her arms, endeavoring to warm them from the bitter cold.

“Are you alright?” Hoggle asked, mere steps behind Sir Didymus. Sarah groaned in pain, flexing her fingers against the cruel ache of the cold. She nodded reluctantly. 

“Allow me to take a look,” Sir Didymus offered, reaching out to Sarah.

She shook her head stubbornly. “No, I’m fine. Just give me a minute.”

Sir Didymus complied watching Sarah with great concern. Sarah retracted her hands from under her arms and placed them against her lips. She blew warm air on them and it burned as her breath cascaded over the frozen parts of her skin. She was once again grateful for the thick bandages which still covered her palms. They had protected her from most of the frost, but her fingers still ached from the cold. She looked to the ground to see the Firey hand had turned white with frost. She was grateful that it hadn’t been frozen in a block of ice like the rest of the creatures who had touched the jewel. She was also incredibly grateful that she hadn’t suffered the same fate.

“What went wrong?” Hoggle asked. 

“I don’t know,” Sarah replied, moving her stiff fingers carefully as warmth slowly crept its way back into them. She continued to breathe on them, the burning sensation steadily declining. 

“Must be the trials,” Batson remarked thoughtfully. 

“Trials?” Sarah echoed, her gaze focused on the worm and her aching fingers forgotten. “What trials?”

“You know, trials!” Batson answered. “Them’s what challenges you.” Batson spoke as if everyone knew what he was talking about.

“I am at a loss, I’m afraid,” Sir Didymus stated, endeavoring to get clarification. “Would you mind explaining these trials to me?”

“Rumors say there’s more behind this door, but no one’s ever gotten that far,” Batson recounted. “All ‘cept for the Goblin King.”

“Cor!” Hoggle huffed impatiently. “Why didn’t you tell us this before?”

Batson tilted his head to the side as if to shrug. “Thought everyone knew.”

“Did it look like we knew?” Hoggle barked grouchily.

Sarah rubbed her temples, an exhausted sigh heaving from her chest. “It doesn’t matter. We know about them now. Okay, so how do we get in?”

“Rumor goes this door’s a passage, that jewel the key. See it shine?” Batson inclined his head once more. “That’s the answer.”

“Argh, alotta help you are! You’re not makin’ any sense!” Hoggle griped, waving his hands dismissively at Batson.

_ The jewel is the key. See it shine. _

Sarah repeated the words in her head, staring up at the shining jewel. It seemed unnaturally bright for ice. The glow it emitted was alluring, almost seductive. Sarah began to piece together the riddle.

“The Firey said I would need fire,” Sarah murmured. “He said the heart of the Labyrinth was a cold place.”   
“What was that, milady?” Sir Didymus inquired.

Sarah ignored him, the feeling finally returning to her hands as she worked the riddle over and over in her mind. “A cold place, but maybe not cold like we thought. A place frozen in time. Frozen and dead.” She reached for the frosted Firey hand. It felt like she was picking up a chunk of frozen stone.

“Now you’re starting to sound like him!” Hoggle complained, motioning towards Batson.

“What are you trying to say, fair maiden?” Sir Didymus asked.

“Only something alive can pass through the doors,” Sarah continued, knowing she appeared to be babbling and nonsensical to her friends.

“But we’re alive!” Hoggle protested. “They were alive!” He gesticulated to the frozen figures. “How come it didn’t help them?”

“I have to agree,” Sir Didymus concurred solemnly. “What you say makes little sense, milady.”

Sarah blinked rapidly, staring down at the Firey hand. Again, she understood the mystery when she shouldn’t. She knew the answer when she only had half the riddle.

“Yes, we are alive,” Sarah began, answering Hoggle’s queries. “Yes, they were alive. But that life can be frozen, suspended in time where as magic cannot. Magic is alive. It is eternal. Magic can burn.”

“Did you hit your head when you fell into that hole?” Hoggle grumbled. “You’re makin’ no sense at all!”

“Yes, she is,” Batson replied quietly, gazing reverently at Sarah.

“Of course you understand her!” Hoggle sneered. 

“Don’t ya see, lads?” Batson began. “Only magic can break the seal, burn brighter than the jewel. But it can only exist in a living vessel. She’s the vessel!”

“That’s why Jareth could pass through,” Sarah echoed quietly. “His magic burned brighter than the jewel.”

“I do not like where this is going,” Sir Didymus interjected quietly, fear and concern twisting her features.

“Whaddaya mean?” Hoggle asked, his worry mirroring Sir Didymus’. “What’s going on?”

Sarah looked at Hoggle, his confusion and frustration evident. Sadness tore through her as she prepared herself for what she had to say next.

“It means I can’t take you with me,” she answered hesitantly.

Hoggle stared at her with baffled betrayal while Sir Didymus bowed his head in despair.

“What do you mean you can’t take us with you?” Hoggle blustered. “We’ve come this far!”

“And I thank you for that,” Sarah whimpered, her voice breaking with emotion. “But the path ahead is one I must take alone.”

“But why, fair maiden?” Sir Didymus looked up at her, hollow desolation laden in his dark eyes.

“Because--” Sarah swallowed, striving against her despair.

_ That’s the way it’s done _ , she thought.

“Because my magic can protect me,” Sarah finally said. “But I don’t know if I can protect you. And I could never forgive myself if I couldn’t.”

“We’ve pledged our valor, our very lives to your cause!” Sir Didymus argued. “I’ll not fail you now, milady.”

Sarah stooped down, gathering Sir Didymus up in a tight embrace. His muscles tensed sharply under her touch and then relaxed as he reluctantly returned the gesture, resigning himself to her will. In the end, he knew his arguments were futile. 

“You’ve been more than brave,” Sarah whispered to him. “You are the strongest creature I’ve ever known. That’s why I need you to go back to Titania and prepare for what’s to come.” Sarah pulled back and looked into the moist eyes of the old fox. “With or without me, the Labyrinth must be rid of Euryale’s dark influence. It will fall to you to ensure that happens. I’m counting on you to lead them if I don’t make it back.”

“I will take this duty as an honor,” Sir Didymus replied sadly. I will not fail you...Sarah.”

Sarah smiled. It was the first time she could remember ever having heard Sir Didymus say her name. She leaned down and kissed his furry cheek. “Thank you, my valiant knight.”

She walked over to Hoggle who stood with his arms crossed defiantly over his chest. 

“I’m not doin’ it!” He huffed. “I ain’t sayin’ goodbye.”

“It’s only for a little while, Hoggle,” Sarah told her dwarven friend even though she was unconvinced of her own reassurances. 

“You don’t know that,” Hoggle nearly shouted. “Goin’ in there alone is askin’ to die! You don’t know what’s in there!”

“You’re right,” Sarah agreed. “I don’t know what lies beyond that door. But what I do know is that if something were to happen to any of you, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. This is the only way I know I can protect you.”

“And what makes you think I can live with myself if I let you go?” Hoggle retorted, his voice verging on a whine. “You can’t ask me to stay behind. It’s not fair!”

Sarah’s breath caught in her throat. Those words. She had spent much of her youth spouting those words over such trivial things like having to be home at a certain hour or having to do the dishes after dinner. She had never truly appreciated the depths those words could actually obtain.

No, it was not fair. It wasn’t fair that she was the one with the magic that would lead her deeper into a dangerous mystery. It was not fair that a misconstrued love years ago plunged the Labyrinth into such a chaotic and violent state. It was not fair that a jilted lover took revenge on not only her former love, but all the inhabitants of the Labyrinth. It was not fair that it took Sarah so long to understand the feelings Jareth had had for her when she was younger. Nor was it fair that she discovered she could return those feelings only to be met with unrelenting waves of uncertainty and self doubt. It wasn’t fair that she was parting ways with her friends, unsure if she would ever see them again and this meager farewell was all she could offer them. 

A small smile of remorse tugged at Sarah’s lips. “No, it isn’t. But that’s the way it is.”

Hoggle groaned, losing his obstinate resolve. He uncrossed his arms and threw them around Sarah’s neck, tightly hugging her. Sarah returned the fierce embrace. “It’s going to be okay,” she promised him. “No matter what, I will find a way to make this right.”

Hoggle nodded against her shoulder, but didn’t say anything. He reluctantly released her from his embrace, trudging over to Sir Didymus. Sarah stood, reaching out and scratching Ambrosius lovingly behind the ear. His tail flicked rapidly with happiness.

“Take care of them,” she whispered to him as she unfastened her backpack from Ambrosius’ saddle and carefully slipped it over her arms.

“Batson?” Sarah asked, pulling her hair from underneath her backpack and resting it over one shoulder.

“Yes?” Batson replied, gazing up at her with remarkable sadness in his eyes. 

“I don’t know what’s going to happen to me in there,” Sarah said, her voice quavering slightly. “But I’m counting on you to get my friends to safety. Can you do that for me?”

“Of course, love,” Batson answered emphatically. “I’ll make sure no ‘arm comes to ‘em.”

“Thank you,” Sarah replied earnestly. “You have my everlasting gratitude.”

“Good luck, Sarah,” Batson murmured, sadness betraying his once happy timber. “May you find your way back to us.”

Sarah nodded, looking mournfully once more at her friends before striking the Firey hand against  the ground. It took a few tries, but the Firey hand finally exploded into flames. Sarah reluctantly held the Firey hand close to her chest, feeling no heat from the flame.

_ Above all else, believe in yourself,  _ Sarah chanted to herself.

She closed her eyes and concentrated on the flame, visualizing it consuming her, surrounding her until she shone more brightly than the ice jewel which adorned the door. Since the flame held no heat for her, Sarah was unaware if it was working until she heard the startled gasps of the others.

When Sarah opened her eyes, she found herself enveloped in heatless flame. 

She wanted to turn to her companions one last time and wish them a final farewell, but feared doing so would interrupt her concentration and she would lose focus due to her unruly emotions. Instead, Sarah faced forward, grim set with determination and resolve. She stepped towards the blue jewel until she was upon it. She reached out, tentatively placing her hand against the blue ice jewel, bracing herself for the worst. The jewel began to melt, dripping liquid in long brilliant blue white lines that seemed to eat away at the shining black filigree that no longer reflected the flames that consumed Sarah. 

Soon, the jewel had melted down enough of the filigree to allow entrance. Once again, Sarah was overwhelmed by the desire to see her friends once more, but fought the urge. Sarah removed her hand from the ice jewel and observed that the filigree immediately began to mend itself. Without thinking, Sarah burst through the hole and to the other side of the door before it closed. The flames extinguished around her almost immediately as her concentration wavered with her haste.

Just as she turned around to look at the door, she watched the hole knit closed completely, allowing her not even a glimpse of the others before it was gone. A jagged stone wall had replaced the intricate filigree door. There was no trace of the ice and stone chamber she’d just emerged from and Sarah knew there was no way she could go back the way she came.  

With a heavy sigh of loneliness and regret, Sarah turned and began to slowly make her way down the dark and seemingly unending corridor that patiently awaited her.


	15. Between the Stars

Time seemed to stand still in this part of the Labyrinth. It felt as if it had no meaning as Sarah wandered through the inky black darkness. Even with the Firey hand ablaze, it could not penetrate the deepness of the pitch which pressed in upon her.

Despite the heaviness of the dark, Sarah didn’t feel oppressed by it. Instead of feeling frightened, she felt comforted. She likened the sensation to crawling into a bundle of warm, soft blankets on a cold and stormy night.

Sarah was surprised that the darkness didn’t feel more overwhelming. The fear that usually accompanied anyone trapped in such a heavy dark was nowhere to be found. She felt warm and secure, as though she were in a cocoon.

Sarah endeavored to remain cautious, knowing that the Labyrinth was a dangerous place and these sensations could be misplaced feelings of euphoria meant to trick her into letting down her guard. However, despite her suspicions, a calm acceptance flowed through her and Sarah knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that for the first time since returning to the Labyrinth, she was safe. She was unable to deny the certainty of the feeling that arose within her as she continued to walk through the darkness. It was something she had not experienced since she was a child. She felt like she was home.

Sarah began to hum softly to herself, a pleasant mood gracing her for the first time since her last encounter with Steven. The darkness around her began to slowly fall away, giving into a gentle light which began to illuminate her surroundings. Sarah gaped in awe as giant pillars rose into view, phenomenally carved and crafted by creatures so skillful, it made her want to weep. The ground itself had become smooth as it seamlessly transformed into a stone walkway. The pleasant light grew brighter, beckoning Sarah to come closer. She searched for the source of light, amazed by the sudden transformation of her surroundings. However, even as the light grew stronger, she was unable to identify its source. Sarah extinguished the Firey hand, stuffing it into her backpack before continuing along the great hall of pillars. Her fingers danced over the delicate designs carved out of what appeared to be quartz. The pillars glistened pleasantly in the soft glow and Sarah nearly found herself dancing. She spun herself around, throwing her arms in the air as she twirled incandescently. All of her tribulations seemed to fall away as she spun herself around and around. A gleeful laugh escaped her lips and Sarah’s mood soared. She hadn’t remembered the last time she felt so light hearted and carefree. She spun again, facing a pure white marble altar which shone brightly in the pleasing light. Sarah panted shallowly from her exertive dance and gawked in awe at the beautiful crystal pillars which spiraled up to the ceiling. They glowed strongly and Sarah realized these pillars were the source of light within the great hall. A clouded crystal throne with purple and pink veins running through it sat empty and lonely above the white marble altar. Sarah approached the throne. It called to her, entreating her presence. Almost casually, Sarah sat upon the throne, languishing against the smooth and cool crystal. As she stared down the great hall, she saw the black tunnel had disappeared. She realized now that she was in a grand throne room which rivaled and far surpassed Jareth’s.

“The Kingdom of the Keepers,” Sarah whispered to herself. “I found it. The heart of the Labyrinth is close.”

“Halt,” a deep voice thundered, causing Sarah to catapult herself from the throne in surprise. She scrambled away from the voice, taking refuge behind the large, white altar. With her eyes wide and filled with panic, she frantically scanned the room for the owner of the voice.

A figure stepped out from behind the throne and Sarah felt her jaw unhinge in shock as a behemoth of a beast approached her.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Sarah breathed, unwilling to accept the existence of the creature she beheld.

 _Of course,_ she thought cynically. _It wouldn’t be a Labyrinth without a bloody Minotaur!_

“How have you come to be here?” The Minotaur demanded gruffly, towering over Sarah.

Sarah gazed up in dumbfounded disbelief at the great beast. His body, though that of a man, was far more muscled than any human she had ever seen. His dark skin was taut and appeared to be straining to keep the bulging muscles confined within it. His veins snaked up his arms like pieces of twisted rope. His neck was thick with tufts of dark, coarse hair sprouted from the sides leading to his face. Thick, brown leather strappings crossed his chest and circled around his waist where she could see the handle of a dagger peek out from a sheath. A simple cloth supported and covered the Minotaur’s private parts, leaving very little to Sarah’s imagination. It made her fleetingly think of Jareth’s fashion sense and she wondered if her imagination had done him justice.

 _Not the right time to be thinking about what’s hidden in his pants!_ She scolded herself.

The Minotaur advanced from behind the throne and Sarah covered her mouth in wonderment and fright. She didn’t want to appear rude by gaping at him. She continued to study the Minotaur. He had a broad nose that stretched from his face into a snout. His mouth was that of a man, but much larger. His eyes, though much too large and dark, were also nearly human. At the sides of his head spiraled two very long, twisted, incredibly lethal looking horns. Sarah saw that a spike of black, coarse hair adorned the line at the top of his head and ran down his back. The Minotaur’s bull like ears twitched in anticipation underneath the horns on his head as he waited for her to answer his query. Sarah’s eyes widened as she saw the creature’s tail swish impatiently.

“I will ask once more, how have you come to be here?” The Minotaur bellowed, his tone hinging on a warning.

“I--I--” Sarah stammered, frozen in place by her trepidation. The wonderful sensation of safety had been shattered, leaving her quaking where she stood.

“I’m the Keeper of the Labyrinth,” Sarah squeaked, her throat scratchy and dry.

The Minotaur snorted in disbelief. “The Keepers have long since gone from this place.”

Sarah felt herself tremble. She’d never been fond of bulls after having been chased down by one and nearly trampled to death on her Uncle’s farm as a child. Though this creature appeared more man than beast, he was still a frightening concoction of the two and a terrifying sight to behold.

Sarah forced herself forward, placing one leaden foot in front of the other. She approached the Minotaur cautiously, but endeavored to convey confidence. She raised her eyes to the beast who waited impatiently in front of her, striving to eliminate the wavering effect her tone had taken.

“Within me thrives the Fae blood of the Keepers,” Sarah began assertively. “I am the last of the bloodline. I have come here to save the Labyrinth from the decimation which threatens it.”

The Minotaur eyed Sarah warily. “What is your name?”

Sarah blinked in surprise, nearly falling back against the altar. She’d prepared herself for a barrage from the great beast and had readied herself to run if he gave chase. However, his civil demeanor and reply had effectively disarmed her.

“Oh-uh,” Sarah stammered, doing her best to regain her commanding disposition and failing. “My name’s Sarah.”

The Minotaur nodded, but did not respond. Sarah fidgeted uncomfortably, feeling like a child.

“What’s your name?” She inquired politely.

“I have no name,” the Minotaur replied simply.

“What? No name?” Sarah mumbled sympathetically. “That’s so sad.”

“I have no name because I am the guardian of the Keeper’s kingdom. It is my duty to stop trespassers and interlopers who get past the door,” the Minotaur continued.

“Do many get past the door?” Sarah asked sheepishly.

“Only one has come beyond the door since the time of the Keepers,” the Minotaur answered.

“The Goblin King?” Sarah asked, knowing the answer.

The Minotaur nodded in reply.

Sarah swallowed hard. “Guardian, I need to pass through this area and venture into the heart of the Labyrinth. It is there I will find the power to put an end to the evil that plagues the Labyrinth above.” She observed the Minotaur, who stood stoic and unflinching.

“May I pass through?” Sarah asked hopefully.

The Minotaur narrowed his unnaturally large eyes at Sarah. “No.”

No? The word jolted Sarah as if she’d been struck. She hadn’t known what to expect, but given the pleasant exchange between herself and the Minotaur, she had anticipated more than a resounding ‘No’.

“But you’ve allowed others to pass,” Sarah argued shrilly, her calm demeanor evaporating and giving way to indignation. “Jareth has been here! You said so yourself! He’s hidden something within the heart which will give me the power to save the Labyrinth from Euryale. How can you deny me that chance?”

The Minotaur crossed his massive arms over his broad chest and stood silent, listening to her tirade. Sarah stared in at him in disbelief. “Why did you let him in and not me? What did he do in order to get into the heart of the Labyrinth?”

“He did nothing for he did not venture into the heart of the Labyrinth,” the Minotaur replied calmly.

“But you just said he was here!” Sarah nearly screamed, seething with anger.

The Minotaur shook his heavy head. “No. You asked how many get past the door. I answered only one, the Goblin King. He did not get past me and therefore did not gain entry into the heart of the Labyrinth.”

Sarah’s mouth hung open in protest and then she quickly snapped it shut as she realized the Guardian had truly never said Jareth had been to the heart of the Labyrinth.

“How did you stop him?” Sarah pondered. “Didn’t he use magic against you?”

“Magic not of the Keepers has no influence here,” the Minotaur explained. “Anyone who is not of Keeper blood is powerless once they enter this hall. Therefore, only the Keepers are allowed within the center chambers.”

“But, I was told--” Sarah stumbled over her words, confusion soaking her brain. “What of his pendant? If he didn’t put it in the heart of the Labyrinth, then where is it?”

“He gave it to me,” the Minotaur answered simply. “It is safe within the center chambers.”

Sarah focused her attention on the Guardian who stood smugly in front of her. She felt her patience wearing thin, hanging by a mere thread.

“I need that pendant,” she pleaded ardently. “It will give me the power I require to save the Labyrinth. Surely, as Guardian, you can sense that I am of Keeper blood and cannot deny me the power and the right to save the Labyrinth!”

The Minotaur remained still and stoic, seemingly unmoved by Sarah’s plight.

Sarah growled in exasperation. “Then what must I do to prove to you that I am who I say I am?”

“If you are truly of Keeper blood, you tell me,” the Minotaur taunted.

Sarah felt her teeth clench together and grind in exasperation. She wanted to attack the Minotaur and make him tell her what she wanted to know, but knew the fight would be short lived and she would only end up a crushed stain on the beautiful stonework floor.

Sarah ran her fingers through her hair, rubbing her scalp furiously in frustration. How was she supposed to tell him how she could prove herself.

 _Riddles,_ Sarah thought petulantly. _I am so tired of riddles!_

Suddenly, Sarah stopped and glared at the Minotaur.

“I invoke the rite of the gauntlet,” Sarah growled menacingly, her voice low and measured.

The Guardian unfolded his arms, dropping them to his sides. “As you wish,” he replied.

Sarah stood, stunned by the words that had just left her mouth.

 _The gauntlet? What in the world is that?_ Her mind screamed.

Sarah had no idea, but was encouraged by the reaction it had elicited from the Minotaur. It definitely meant something. She suppressed the urge to look impressed with herself.

“Let us begin,” the Guardian said. “You have already proven your mettle by withstanding the allure of the jewel and passing through the door. Now you face another trial.”

Sarah steeled herself in front of the Minotaur. “I am ready,” she said confidently.

“Every creature has seen it and experienced it, but no matter how much they long for it, to their dying day, they will never see it again,” the Guardian recited.

Sarah blinked in surprise, tilting her head unconsciously to one side.

 _Are you kidding me?!_ Her mind screamed in protest.

“I-I’m sorry, is this a riddle?” Sarah babbled. “The gauntlet is a riddle?”

The Minotaur nodded. “Choose your answer prudently.”

“And if I answer incorrectly?” Sarah asked hesitantly.

The Guardian reached down and unsheathed a pitted, twisted dagger from his belt. He brandished it at her and Sarah’s eyes went wide with comprehension.

“Then you will never leave these chambers,” he promised in a low, foreboding tone.

Sarah nodded fervently, running his words through her head again. What has everything seen and experienced before, longed for it again, but will die never having it?

“Answer,” the Guardian demanded.

“I’m thinking!” Sarah retorted crossly. She hated being put on the spot.

_Come on, Sarah. Think! You can do this. What have I experienced before, but will never have again no matter how badly I want it?_

_Birth? No. Why would I want that? A sunset? Maybe, each one is different. A moment in time? A day?_

The answer crept into Sarah’s mind so suddenly that she nearly squealed with joy. She looked up at the Minotaur, an arrogant smile twitching at the side of her mouth.

“Yesterday,” she boasted without a shred of doubt. “The answer is Yesterday.”

The Guardian slowly replaced his dagger and Sarah felt a sigh of relief crash from her lungs.

“It is not meant for one, it is meant for two. But when the two become more, it exists no longer,” the Minotaur recited.

Sarah’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“Another one?” Sarah gaped. The Minotaur nodded, waiting expectantly for her answer.

“Fine,” Sarah grumbled, closing her eyes and thinking of the riddle.

 _Meant for two, more makes it disappear,_ she thought. _Love? No, that doesn’t make sense. Families make love grow. But something shared between two people. Something sacred. Something special._

“A secret,” Sarah answered confidently, opening her eyes.

“Hmm,” the Minotaur rumbled. He reached into a leather pouch at his side. Sarah watched him attentively, still mistrustful of the giant beast. The Minotaur produced a keyring from his pouch and Sarah felt her heart thunder with anticipation. She hoped there were no more riddles.

The Guardian turned from her, slipping the keys from the heavy ring and setting them one by one on the altar. Sarah sheepishly peeked around the large creature to get a glimpse at the keys. They were large, brass toned skeleton keys which looked exactly identical. The Guardian placed the final key upon the altar, turning abruptly to Sarah and nearly knocking her back. She hadn’t realize how closely she had encroached upon him while inspecting the keys.

“Choose the correct key and the path to the chambers beyond will open to you,” he stated.

Sarah eyed the great beast warily. “What? That’s it? It’s that simple?”

The Minotaur snorted again, ignoring Sarah’s questions. “Choose.”

Sarah appraised the keys laid out before her. There were seven keys and each one was identical to the other. There was absolutely no defining marks upon them or ways to tell them apart.

“And if I choose the wrong key?” Sarah asked.

Once again, the Guardian touched the dagger at his side.

“Of course,” Sarah muttered sardonically. “I should’ve known.”

She gazed at the keys apprehensively, not knowing how to decide which key would open the chamber and lead her to her long sought destination. Sarah reached out her hand, hovering it slightly over her seven choices. Her eyes slid closed and she cleared her thoughts. Her fingers dropped and danced unbidden over the keys, as if she were being led by some unseen force. Her hand drifted down and she felt the cool metal caress her fingertips. She opened her eyes and saw that the key almost seemed to glow under her touch. Without hesitation, Sarah picked it up and presented it to the Minotaur.

“This is the chamber key,” she announced resolutely.

The Minotaur nodded, unimpressed or moved by her amazing ability. “You have proven yourself. You may pass through into the next chamber. The entrance is hidden beneath the throne. In there you will find a chest which contains the pendant of the Goblin King,” the Guardian summarized. “May it give to you the power you seek, Keeper.”

Sarah scoffed at the Minotaur, flustered and confused. She had expected more. A lot more. Even though she knew she shouldn’t complain, she felt the gauntlet was far too easy.  She wondered if there was a catch or if it only seemed simple because of the Keeper magic flowing through her veins.

Without another word, Sarah strode brusquely past the Minotaur and to the throne, noticing for the first time that there was a key hole in the arm of the throne. Sarah’s brow knitted as she assessed the opening. She was certain it hadn’t been there before. She looked to the Minotaur who had resumed his standoffish demeanor, his arms crossed tightly over his chest while his tail swished lazily behind him.

Sarah turned back to the throne and delicately placed the key inside the keyhole. It slid in easily and turned with a satisfying click. The crystal throne began to rumble, making a teeth rattling scrape against the stone floor as it slid away from Sarah, revealing a twisted staircase that led down into yet another chamber.

Sarah peered down the staircase, realizing that her goal was within reach. She knew she should start descending the stairs, but something was making her hesitate. For some reason, part of her didn’t want to go down into the center chamber.

“You knew who I was all along, didn’t you?” Sarah surmised, turning to face the Minotaur. “You always knew I was descended from the Keepers.”

The Minotaur nodded solemnly. “I did.”

“Then why the charade?” Sarah asked, her voice taking on a slight shrill quality. “Why did you make me take the gauntlet?”

“Because you need to believe in yourself and your abilities in order to conquer the enemies who threaten the Labyrinth,” the Guardian stated matter-of-factly. “You need to learn to trust your instincts and the power which has resided dormant within you for your entire life. Your powers have only just awakened. Even now you do not realize the potential of those powers. The trial was merely a way of boosting your confidence; making you believe in the magic that already runs through your veins.”

Sarah’s patience had come to a screeching halt and animosity now encompassed her. “So, what? You thought it would be a good idea to just waste my time?” She nearly shouted, aghast with the creature.

“This chamber does not obey the constraints of time. Its passage has no meaning here. As we stand, we are immune to it and its decay. Nothing has been lost, only gained.” The Guardian replied reassuringly.

“Oh, you just have an answer for everything, don’t you?” Sarah grumbled under her breath. She was frustrated and wanted to scold the Guardian. She was overcome with anger and wanted to lash out at the creature, berate him for making her look ridiculous by taking the trials.

 _Why am I so upset?_  Sarah wondered.

 _Because he made me look like a fool!_ Her mind screamed back.

“Keeper,” the Minotaur ventured, ripping through her aggravated thoughts. “You are safe within this place. No harm will come to you. I will not allow it. Take all the time you need here. Rest and collect your thoughts. Seek the answers to the questions which plague you.”

“How do you know what plagues me?” Sarah hissed, glaring at the Minotaur.

He shifted slightly, taking her ire in stride. “I am your Guardian. It is my duty to protect you and this place. I know you better than you know yourself.” He narrowed his large eyes at her. “I know of your life, of your joy and sorrow, of your pain and strife. I know of your dreams. And I know of your doubts. You are not vexed by me, but by your own self.”

Sarah was staggered by the comment. She wanted to dispute the Minotaur’s statement, but found she could not. The rational part of her realized that the Guardian was right. Her outrage and foul temper had only begun after the path to the chamber was revealed. Sarah wasn’t angry with the Guardian at all. She was in denial. She was on the verge of accomplishing her task and yet her thoughts and feelings for Jareth were still mired in doubt.

“You’re right,” Sarah muttered, chuckling ruefully. “I’m so close, but I still have no idea what to think or what to do. I keep telling myself that I’m going to banish Euryale from the Labyrinth, but then what?” Sarah asked. “What happens with Jareth? What do I do then? Do I dare trust him?” She bit her lower lip contemplatively. “ _Can_ I trust him?”

The Minotaur stood silent, either unwilling or unable to answer her inquiry. His large eyes gazed sympathetically at her.

Sarah sighed defeatedly. She needed answers and she knew that Guardian could given them to her. However, she didn’t want to ask the questions, fearing the answers she would receive. “Guardian, I need to ask you something,” she finally said hesitantly.

“Anything, Keeper,” he answered pleasantly. The Minotaur was treating her with such reverence that Sarah felt horrible for being belligerent. Her mood had shifted significantly since her arrival in the great hall, racing from an euphoric elation, to self imposed indignation and now to melancholic guilt that gnawed hungrily at her conscience. She despised the feeling of being wrenched between several emotions so quickly.   

“Can you tell me about the powers the Keepers of old possessed?” Sarah finally asked, delaying her original question. “Can you tell me why I am the last of their bloodline?”

The Minotaur advanced towards Sarah casually, casting off his unapproachable demeanor. “The Keepers of old were Fae as you well know. They were the first to master the art of slipping between different worlds. An art that has long since been lost to the Fae kind over the years.”

“But the Goblin King has that power,” Sarah corrected.

The Minotaur nodded. “Yes, he has mastered that forgotten magic, but only after increasing his power with that of the pendant. Without it, he would not have enough power to sustain himself in your world. The Keepers were exceptional magic wielders. They were able to carve and create worlds with their powers.”

Sarah was intrigued by the story. “So, what happened?”

“Without warning, the Keepers fell to a sickness,” the Guardian continued patiently. “They began dying and after some time, were unable to continue on in this world.”

“Dying out? Why?” Sarah asked apprehensively.

The Guardian shrugged sadly. “That remains a mystery. Some say they were cursed for using their magic with such reckless extravagance. Others claimed they had thrived too long, spread their magic too thin. In the end, there was no explanation. We do not know why. The fact remains that a sickness plagued them and they could not overcome it. The Keepers built the Labyrinth and this kingdom as a way to escape the plague. They thought that perhaps something in Underground contributed to their illness and hoped that the Labyrinth would provide a reprieve from their ailments.”

“But it didn’t work,” Sarah interrupted. “The sickness came from within them.”

The Minotaur nodded grimly. “Yes. Once they discovered the sickness they endured did not come from the outside world, they built this chamber as a haven. But it wasn’t enough to simply lock themselves away.” The Minotaur explained. “After all, this chamber only suspends a single moment in time. A life cannot be lived when everything around that life is frozen.”

An indescribable sadness gripped Sarah as she listened to the plight of the Keepers. Even though she felt she could reside in these chambers forever, she knew living a full life confined in this hall would be impossible. In the end, the Keepers were not living, just simply surviving..

The Minotaur continued. “A choice was made. The remaining Keepers used their waning powers and departed from Underground. They went to your world to live out the rest of their lives among the mortals. They co-existed, combining the bloodlines with the hope that their descendants would once again be able to return to the paradise they built.”

Sarah felt a cold wave of sorrow pass over her. “How long ago was this?”

“I cannot say,” the Guardian replied. “I have not departed from this place since the time of the Keepers. I have remained vigilant, guarding their legacy until their return.”

“You haven’t left and gone to the surface in all this time?” Sarah asked, astonished.

“I cannot leave,” the Minotaur explained. “I am bound here. It is my purpose and my duty. I am sworn to this position of servitude and that will never change.”

“I’m sorry for you,” Sarah said in a heartfelt tone, placing her hand against the Minotaur’s arm sympathetically. “You suffer their fate, but not their disease.”

The Minotaur flinched, unable to hide the surprise in his eyes. “It is all I have ever known.”

Sarah felt pity for the creature. He’d never experienced anything outside the Labyrinth, condemned to guard an ancient utopia which acted as a memorial for a race that must have died out countless centuries ago.

“You and the Goblin King are the only ones I have seen since the Keepers fled,” the Minotaur recounted.

“I don’t understand,” Sarah murmured contemplatively. “How is it that I’m the only one with the magic after all this time? Surely there must’ve been others?”

“Unfortunately, the magic of the Fae lies dormant within the mortal vessel,” the Minotaur explained. “It takes another Fae to discover and awaken the power within. The Keepers knew this, but risked everything to perpetuate their bloodline. They left clues and codexes scattered throughout the Labyrinth, detailing their power and how to master the art of slipping between worlds in hopes that another Fae would discover the mystery and bring their descendants back to the Labyrinth.”

Sarah felt as if she’d been kicked in the stomach. It was as if he’d sensed her unspoken question. “And if a Fae were to successfully transcend into another world, are they drawn to those with dormant Fae bloodlines and powers?” She asked reluctantly.

“Yes,” the Guardian replied.

Sarah felt a crushing despair within her chest. Her knees buckled slightly and she stumbled against the Minotaur. He caught her, holding her firmly in place. Sarah shuddered involuntarily as her heart nearly ripped in two. She’d known. Somehow she had known, but she didn’t want to believe it.

“Keeper, are you alright?” The Guardian asked, his large, soft eyes upon her.

Memories of Titania’s words rang in a cruel taunt through Sarah’s mind.

_Some answers may be given while others must be sought._

_And some questions are better left unanswered,_ Sarah thought bitterly.

“Guardian, I need to know...” Sarah trembled, her voice constricted. “My power, the power over the Labyrinth, can it be shared?”

“Yes,” the Minotaur answered. “He who holds your heart holds dominion over the Labyrinth for this place is as much your heart as the one that beats within you.”

Sarah let out a shuddered breath, tears burning at the edges of her eyes.

“I was afraid you’d say that,” she whispered.


	16. Within Your Heart

Sarah slowly descended the stairs underneath the throne. She braced her hand against the smooth wall, not trusting her knees to keep her upright. She was in shock, continually processing the Guardians words over and over again. She’d still had more questions for him, but found herself unable to ask them. She wasn’t sure she could handle the answers. The Guardian had given her so much to contemplate as it was and Sarah found herself at a breaking point. Her despair tugged at the edges of her mind, wearing her down little by little. 

After an eternity of spiraled steps, Sarah began to feel dizzy long before she reached the bottom of the staircase. She was relieved when she planted her feet on solid ground, escaping the narrow, twisty nightmare.

Sarah stepped out of the darkness of the staircase and through a bright doorway. The overwhelming brightness caused her to raise her arm to shield her eyes from the glare. Once she adjusted to the light, she assessed her surroundings, feeling the air nearly crackle with life. She stood stunned in the middle of an elaborate garden. She took a few steps forward, admiring the lush and dense foliage all around her. When she turned back, she was unsurprised to see the doorway from which she had emerged from and the staircase had vanished. It had been replaced by a large tree with low branches and white blossoms. 

“The Keepers were big on deception.” Sarah muttered, thinking back to all the times the Labyrinth had rearranged itself around her.

Sarah spun about slowly, glimpsing a weathered stone path which led deeper into the garden. She began to follow it, noticing almost immediately that the plants and flowers were reacting to her presence. They almost seemed to  _ reach _ for her as she passed by. She extended her hand to a particularly vibrant purple flower, reminding herself to be cautious given the vicious nature of the yellow ones she’d encountered. The flowers velvety petals languished against her fingers, blossoming even more. Sarah could’ve sworn she heard a sigh of contentment from the foliage around her.

“You’re so beautiful,” she cooed to the flower, a grin spreading across her face. “All of you!” 

The flowers rustled, as if shivering with delight at the compliment she had bestowed upon them. She was certain they understood her. Almost instantly, Sarah’s foul mood dissipated and she found herself humming brightly as caressed the flowers and their velvety petals that lined the path.

She smiled, skipping unexpectedly, dancing through and with the low hanging vines. The small white and pink flowers which twisted around the vines brushed delicately over her face. Sarah giggled, feeling amazingly elated and carefree.

_ I’m home! _ Her mind sang as she danced through the garden. Several leaves circled around her in a warm breath of wind, tickling her as they rose up her body and through her hair.

_ They know me!  _ She thought in astonishment. _ They know who I am. _

“This place is as much your heart as the one that beats within you,” Sarah reminisced. The Minotaur was right. She’d never felt so in tune with anything in her entire life. It was as if this place had been made for her.

_ I don’t ever want to leave, _ she thought blissfully.  _ I want to stay here forever. _

Sarah grinned ludicrously, positively drunk off the happiness which flooded through her. She danced around more, indulging the carefree complacency that had taken control of her. She stopped abruptly, spying a gazebo built upon beautiful crystal balusters. She trotted over to it, drawn to the large structure in the middle of the edenic garden.

Cushioned seats lined the inside of the structure, entreating Sarah to languish against them. Fractured marble and quartz decorated the floors, reminding Sarah of a dream one could almost recall, but never quite manage to recapture.

She sunk down against the cushioned seats lining the gazebo, burying her face in the velvety softness of them.

“Hmm,” she moaned happily against the lavish material. She closed her eyes, wishing she could remain in the garden for the rest of her life.

_ Just like the other Keepers,  _ she thought.

Sarah opened her eyes abruptly, the wonderful rapture draining from her instantly. She sat up and braced herself on the edge of the cushions, shaking her head hard in an attempt to clear her mind of the euphoria which had inundated her senses. The Keepers had indeed created a perfect haven. However, like those who had preceded her, Sarah understood that her life could not be lived fully within this Kingdom, no matter how magnificent and beautiful it was. Her elation dampened as she remembered her friends and the promise she’d made to them. She couldn’t allow herself to forget about them. Not again.

“I can’t stay here,” she mumbled in a scolding tone. “There are those depending on me. I can’t just hide away.” She heaved a dejected sigh. “Much as I would like to.”

Sarah forced herself to her feet, noticing for the first time that a pillar stood in the center of the grand gazebo. On top of the pillar sat a small, beautifully crafted chest. She approached the case, knowing what lie inside waiting for her. She slowly opened the chest, revealing a deep purple, plush lining. Upon the silken lining sat Jareth’s pendant. It gleamed up at her, silently brimming with immense power. Sarah hesitantly traced her fingers over the curved design and the symbol in the middle, feeling an electric jolt feed into her. The pendant was indeed powerful, entreating her with the magic it emanated, promising her everything she ever desired. Sarah could not deny the allure of it. She was overcome with an overwhelming urge to put the pendant on, but hesitated. 

Sarah could clearly feel the magic the pendant promised, but feared the consequences of wielding such a great power. She had no comprehension of how the talisman worked. She didn’t even know how to control her own abilities, how could she expect to control powers only Jareth knew how to use?

Sarah snapped the chest closed quickly, severing the enticing desire to adorn the pendant. She tugged her backpack from her shoulder, picking up the chest and placing it inside. Regret gnawed at her as she closed the bag and swung it back over her shoulder. Part of her had really wanted that pendant. In fact, it screamed for it.

“This is best for everyone,” Sarah said, trying to convince herself. “There’s enough magic here I don’t understand. I don’t need to add to it.”

Sarah exited the gazebo, her eyes shifting over the beautiful garden. The plants rustled with excitement and the warm breeze sang a pleasant melody to her. Sarah sighed in disappointment.

“I have to go now,” she announced sadly. “I have to finish what I started.”

The plants stopped rustling happily and shuddered, shriveling back from the path. The balmy breeze which danced around Sarah suddenly took on an icy chill. The melody the wind had created turned into a forlorn lament.

Sarah felt the stabbing pain of guilt and regret center solidly in her chest. The garden was actually speaking to her, begging her to stay. It seemed ludicrous, but Sarah had come to understand that nothing in the Labyrinth was impossible. 

“I know,” Sarah whispered, her commiserations ringing hollowly in her ears. “I know I just found my way back, but I have to do this. You understand, don’t you?”

The breeze picked up, colder than before and the flowers which had bloomed so bright began to wither and droop, retreating into the bushes. 

Sarah felt her heart break at the sight of the garden slowly wither. It had become so vibrant with her presence. Now that she was leaving, it despaired without her. Ironically, the state of the garden matched the state of her own heart. The Minotaur had been right. The garden, the heart of the Labyrinth in all its glory, was also her heart.

“But it doesn’t mean it’s easy for me,” Sarah continued, her voice falling to a whisper. “I want nothing more than to remain here. This is my home.” She swallowed hard as her voice cracked. “This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do and the path ahead won’t be any easier. Please try to understand,” Sarah reasoned with the air.

The flowers slowly began to peek out from the bushes and bloom once again. The chill in the breeze evaporated and became a warm caress once again. The vines which had begun to droop in despair swung amiably. Sarah sighed, smiling sadly.

“Thank you. I’ll come back, I promise,” she vowed resolutely.

Sarah heard the rustling of the flowers as if to say farewell. The breeze sang a mournful melody, but remained pleasantly clement. Sarah turned to the gazebo, placing her hand on the side of the crystal pillar.

“Let me leave,” she entreated reluctantly.   
The air to the entrance of the gazebo shimmered and a door appeared between the crystal balusters. With a burdened heart and a heavy step, Sarah reached for the door, pushing it open. A long, narrow tunnel greeted her beyond the entrance. Sarah looked back longingly to the garden, which seemed to hang frozen in time as it watched her leave. 

“Goodbye,” Sarah whispered, her head sinking down as she somberly stepped through the door and back into the dark tunnels underneath the Labyrinth.

* * *

Sarah walked through the passages as if she had grown up in the tunnels. She knew exactly where she was going despite the darkness of the corridors. She hadn’t even removed the Firey hand from her backpack. Her mind automatically knew the direction she needed to go to get out of the maze even though she’d never been down in this set of tunnels before. 

_ A left, then another left, a right and then straight through _ , her mind chattered at her. Sarah was grateful her focus was distracted with directions and encumbered with the agonizing ache of missing the glorious garden. It gave her a reprieve from her thoughts about Jareth.

_ Speaking of Jareth, _ her mind whispered annoyingly.

“No!” She chastised herself. “I don’t need this now.”

_ But you have to know. You have to figure out if he was sincere or if he was using you to control the Labyrinth. You need to think about-- _

“Stop it!” Sarah shouted to herself, her sharp tone echoing off the stone walls. “Just stop!”

_ “Sarah…” _

Sarah froze, blinking with surprise as a finger of dread tingled up her spine. She was no longer in the Kingdom of the Keepers and protected by their lingering magic or the Guardian. She was alone in the dark and prey to whatever lurked within its depths.

“Hello?” Sarah whispered apprehensively, squinting down the dark tunnel. She kicked herself for not having the Firey hand out now. If anything else, it would have provided her a good weapon. 

_ “Sarah,”  _ the ghostly whisper called again.  _ “This way.”  _

Sarah shuddered and her arms prickled in fear as she gazed down the tunnel the voice came from. It was the voice of a woman and it was strangely familiar. She swallowed hard, debating with herself. To her right was the tunnel that would lead her to the surface of the Labyrinth. The voice which beckoned her came from her left and she had no idea what lay down that tunnel. However, despite her quandaries, Sarah felt compelled to follow the voice.

_ Yes, because following a strange voice down a dark tunnel in the middle of a magical realm while lost in the depths of a Labyrinth is a great idea!  _ Her mind griped snidely. 

Sarah shook her head, endeavoring to dislodge the nagging voice which had become so loud and domineering over the last few days.

Sarah decided to deviate from the path and follow the ethereal voice, much to her sensible side’s chagrin. As Sarah walked, she found herself stooping lower and lower as the tunnel narrowed. Soon, she was crawling on her hands and knees, wedging herself through the constricting passage.

_ “This way,”  _ the voice beckoned again, much louder than before.

Sarah’s breath caught in her throat as she suddenly recognized the voice. Her mouth went dry and a tremor shot through her.

The ethereal voice was her own. 

She breathed out a ragged breath and continued to push through the tunnel, anxious and fearful of what awaited her on the other side.

Sarah pushed through the passage, snagging her backpack a few times before emerging from the tunnel and into a grand hallway. Sarah climbed to her feet, brushing her fingers and raggedy bandaged palms against her jeans, gawking in awe of her surroundings.

The hallway was a sight of splendor and elegance. It was something Sarah imagined being plucked from a castle or beautiful estate, not a thing to be found in an underground cavern. She appraised the walls on the side of the hallway and felt her mouth unhinge in awe.

“Wow,” Sarah whispered. “There are so many mirrors!”

The left side of the hall was lined with large mirrors that extended to the floor, framed in beautiful black filigree much like the immense door Sarah saw when she had discovered the entrance to the heart of the Labyrinth.

Forgetting about the ghostly whisper of her own voice which had led her here, Sarah walked up the first mirror and gazed at herself. She hadn’t seen her reflection in days and was surprised at the image she saw.

However, it was not the reflection that surprised her, but rather what the mirror showed. She stared not into her reflection, but a moment captured in time and frozen there. Sarah gaped at the image of herself in the garden. She studied the image, barely recognizing herself. Even though her face was smudged with dirt and her clothing ripped and tattered, her eyes danced with life and her cheeks glowed. She’d never seen herself so beautiful or so happy. Impulsively, she reached out and to touch the glass of the mirror when her image began to move and dance through the garden. Sarah innately recoiled, surprised by the sudden vivacity. She peered warily at the mirror, watching herself caress the flowers and smile as a child would after receiving a long awaited gift.

“What is this place?” Sarah whispered to herself, tearing her eyes away from the mirror and gazing down the length of the incredible hallway. It appeared that mirrors lined the wall for as far as she could see. Curious about what the mirrors represented, Sara moved to the next one and saw herself with the Minotaur.

As with before, the mirror began to play out the encounter between herself and the Guardian right before her eyes. Sarah moved quickly to the next mirror, witnessing each scene of her life as if it were a movie.

Memories and emotions plagued her as she saw events that were much too recent and painful to relive. She hastily avoided the mirror which showed her saying farewell to her friends. She was also incredibly determined to not experience the Chimera attack again. She picked up her pace, glancing at the mirrors which showed her things that had recently come to pass. She saw her most recent dream of Jareth, as well as meeting Prell and then Batson. Sarah cringed when she passed the mirror that had the Fireys dancing chaotically around. Distantly, Sarah wondered if the Fireys made it to the Fairy Thicket and if so, how Titania was coping with them.

Sarah realized she was nearly running through the hallway now. Everything she had ever experienced almost seemed to taunt her as she passed the mirrors. She glimpsed herself fall on the Buffo and then escape the field of deadly flowers. She continued on, seeing her past experiences blur past her until finally she came to the image of herself standing over the Labyrinth.

She stopped, staring at herself. She looked different somehow, as if the life had been drawn out of her. She appeared nothing more than a shell. She was nothing compared to the sight of herself she had just seen in the garden.

_ It’s this place, _ Sarah thought.  _ I needed it as much as it needed me. _

Sarah continued to the next mirror and was astonished to see her fifteen year old self staring defiantly at Jareth as he offered her his crystal. 

“What?” She asked herself, realizing that the mirrors must only recount her life as it was lived in the Labyrinth. Their magic could not extend to her world.

Sarah felt compelled to watch the scene which played silently in front of her. 

“This place,” Sarah mumbled to herself as she watched the mirror. “I know this place. The Hall of Memories. It was always meant for me.”

Sarah had no idea how she knew this, but accepted the fact that she did, as she had been forced to do so many times since her return to the Labyrinth.

“What’re you trying to tell me?” Sarah asked the image, watching the scene keenly as it played out before her.

She saw Jareth’s face fall in despair as her younger self silently uttered the line that had shattered his heart and fractured his magic. He tossed his crystal ball to her and it fragmented as it touched her outstretched hand. The mirror swirled and the image went dark.

Sarah blinked in surprise, stepping back. The void only lasted a moment before the memory restarted and began to play again in an endless, agonizing loop. 

Sarah was once again struck by the mournful expression of the Goblin King and began to feel a dull ache in her chest. Regardless of her qualms, there was no denying that the torment etched on Jareth’s face was real. She had never seen anyone appear so broken in all her life.

Sarah unwittingly reached out, wanting to touch the image of the Goblin King. Her fingers slid through the smooth glass surface and disappeared.

Sarah retracted her hand violently, staring wide eyed and shocked at the image which rippled in response to her touch. After a moment, the image smoothed once again and continued to play as if she’d never disturbed it.  

“What in the world?” Sarah murmured, tentatively reaching out and touching the mirror again. As before, her fingers dipped through the surface, rippling the image. Sarah’s brow twisted in confusion.

_ Can I enter the mirror? Can I relive this memory and experience it as I am now? _

The possibility was far too compelling to resist. Sarah set herself with steely determination, once again slowly placing her hand against what should have been the solid surface of the mirror and watching it disappear within the image. She stepped forward, watching her arm disappear and then her leg. She held her breath and braced herself for the unknown as she slid the rest of her body into the mirror. 

The world twisted and bent like a kaleidoscope before finally coming into view. Sarah was greeted by fractured stones and fragments of what was once the Escher room suspended in the air around her. She spun around quickly, relieved to see that the mirror still stood behind her as a portal, rippling and waiting for her to step back through once she was done with her memory. Sarah’s attention quickly focused on her younger self and Jareth. She stood witnessing the scene in amazement, her mouth still slightly unhinged in awe.

“Stop!” Jareth implored. “Wait.”

Sarah’s attention quickly turned to the Goblin King. She studied his demeanor. His white cape shown in the ethereal light like a beacon, a pleasant and approachable change from his usually dark clad wardrobe. His expression was worn and showed great signs of fatigue. He almost seemed to stoop before her younger self as he reached out a hand, begging her to hear him out. Sarah had never noticed the evident desperation laden in his eyes before. She hadn’t remembered how haggard he looked and how utterly exhausted he must have been. Yet, underneath all that, Sarah saw a look she hadn’t been able to comprehend as a teenager. Underneath Jareth’s desperation and sorrow, there was an undeniable desire. He was pleading with her. He didn’t know how to tell her because perhaps he didn’t even understand it, but Sarah could see it as she looked upon him with experienced eyes. He was enraptured with her younger self. Underneath everything else, his eyes held nothing but love for her. Sarah looked at her former self and saw the smug, uncaring expression the child she once was wore. Again, her heart went out to the Goblin King.

“Don’t you see what you’ve put him through?” Sarah reasoned with her younger self. “Just look at him! Look at how he’s looking at you! Just hear what he has to say.”

Her former self ignored her, unable to hear her pleas.

“Why aren’t you listening?” Sarah shouted, agitated by the obstinance of her youthful self. 

Suddenly, Titania’s words surfaced in her mind again, as they had done so many times before.

_ Remember, that story has already been unfolded and played to its end. _

“I can’t change the past,” Sarah mumbled to herself. “Because it’s already been played out.

“Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave,” the Goblin King entreated, interrupting her thoughts. He extended the crystal to her former self.

Sarah sighed unhappily, turning abruptly and fleeing through the portal. She didn’t want to hear herself deny him. She stepped quickly through the mirror and walked to the next memory, unable to look back on the one she had just emerged from.

The next mirror portrayed Sarah in the Escher room. She watched the silent interaction with great interest. When she had been younger, she’d been focused on Toby and nothing else. Now, she was able to pay attention to Jareth and watch him as her younger self obsessively searched for her brother. The Goblin King stood, tall and proud, watching Sarah’s former self as she endeavored to make sense of the chaotic room. Sarah stepped through the mirror as she had done before, the kaleidoscope colors twisting and then fading away until she found herself standing next to her younger version. 

“Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you.” Jareth sang bitterly as he turned a corner, moving through Sarah and her former self as if an apparition. “I move the stars for no one!”

Sarah’s heart flew into her throat as she watched him step off the edge of the stairs and disappear. Her former self showed little concern and continued to search for Toby. Sarah trailed herself through the memory and the maze. Jareth once again appeared in front on them.

“Your eyes can be so cruel.” He sneered slightly, brandishing a crystal. “Just as I can be so cruel.” He threw his crystal. Sarah watched the crystal fly across the room, bouncing against stone until it came to rest magically in Toby’s infant hand. 

“Toby!” Sarah’s younger self shouted, giving no pause to Jareth and taking off towards her baby brother. Sarah turned her attention to the Goblin King. Jareth watched her younger self, bitterness and despair mingling within his features. He leaned forward on the ledge, peering down at the frantic young Sarah.

“Live without your sunlight,” he sang, his voice strained with emotion. “Love without your heartbeat.”

Sarah bit her lip, witnessing for the first time how much pain he was so obviously in.

Jareth collapsed against the arch way behind him, breathing hard. “I--I--I can’t live within you.”

His eyes settled on Sarah, looking right at her, but through her. Sarah gaped at him, unable to handle the guilt that shredded at her conscience. Jareth dropped his eyes, the anguish and pain etched on his face forever burned within the depths of Sarah’s memory. 

A sob wrenched from Sarah’s throat. “Jareth,” she breathed, reaching out to him. Her fingers skimmed the apparition of him before he disappeared and the memory faded to darkness.  

“What have I done?” Sarah whispered, sullenly walking back to the portal which shimmered like silvery moonlit water in the black. Part of her wanted nothing more than to remain in the total dark of the memory. It would’ve been easier to hide from the world this way. However, she knew the memory would resume shortly and she didn’t want to relive it again and again.

_ Why is this place here?  _ She wondered silently as she stepped through the mirror.  _ Why was I drawn here? What will the others show me? _

Sarah wrapped her arms around herself in a kind of embrace and shuffled slowly past the other mirrors, ignoring most of the scenes. Her last few encounters had caused her memories to come flooding back to her, vivid and painfully pristine. After a moment, she stopped at one particular mirror. This one depicted the ballroom scene. Without a second thought, Sarah hastily stepped through. 

The ballroom twisted into view and took shape. Sarah found herself standing next to her younger version, avidly searching for Jareth through the crowd of masked party goers. Sarah made a futile grab for herself, certain her hand would pass through as it had done when she had reached for Jareth. 

To Sarah’s amazement, her former self shimmered and then disappeared, leaving Sarah alone in the ballroom. 

_ Oh, shit!  _ Sarah thought.  _ What’d I do? _

Sarah spun around, looking for her former self when she realized she was no longer wearing her ripped jeans and cardigan. She was dressed in the same gown as her former self had been years ago.

Sarah was stunned by the revelation.

_ Not only can I see my memories, I can actually experience them again! _

Sarah’s hands clasped the dress and she felt a certain giddiness fill her at the possibility of reliving the memory. Her eyes slowly drifted over the crowd, seeking the Goblin King. She spied him across the room. He saw her as well, lowering his mask so that his steel gaze met with hers. His stare seemed to penetrate her very soul and Sarah felt her lips part in wonderment.

A couple danced in front of Jareth, obscuring her view of him. When they had passed, Jareth had disappeared. Sarah craned her head, searching the crowd for him, but he had disappeared. Sarah struggled to make her way through the jovial dancers, desperately pursuing the Goblin King. Despite her urgency, the dancers laughed and cackled at her, mocking her desire and haste. A few of them tried to detain her with cheap parlor tricks or simply appeared to vindictively step in her way.

Sarah became frustrated as the Goblin King continued to elude her. She pushed against the leering masked dancers, catching only sparse glimpses of Jareth before he would vanish again. Overwhelmed by the oppressive nature of the crowd, she staggered into the middle of the room. The masked party goers surrounded Sarah, capturing her as they danced around at a dizzying pace. Sarah’s heart dropped. She feared she would never find Jareth through the myriad of masked people and wondered if she had somehow altered the memory. Just as she was about to give up and search for the portal back to the Hall of Memories, a plume of feathers caught her eye and Sarah turned to them just in time to see the feather fan retracted. Jareth stood calmly, intently staring at her as a masked dancer languished her head affectionately against his shoulder. 

Once again, Sarah felt her lips part under the intensity of his gaze. Without a word, the Goblin King pushed away from the masked minion which clung to him and sauntered up to Sarah, fluidly sliding his hand across her hip. Sarah was overjoyed that his touch was warm and real.

Sarah’s hand lifted on its own, resting on his shoulder while she found her other hand firmly grasped in his grip as he skillfully led her into a dance. The party goers, which had been so oppressive only moments before, now dispersed and gave them room, allowing her and the Goblin King to float along the ballroom floor. Sarah was enraptured by the dance, her eyes unable to leave the beautiful face which beheld her. Jareth’s lips parted and he sang softly to her, promising to be there for her as the world fell down.

Sarah was hypnotized by the movement of his lips and was seized with an agonizing desire to touch them with her own. She completely forgot that she was reliving a memory already gone and in the past. In this moment, Jareth seemed incredibly real and tangible. All Sarah could think about was her desire to touch him, to feel his lips against hers. She wanted to feel his tender touch more than anything she had ever wanted in her life. 

Jareth leaned into her, as if he intended to kiss her, but then drew back slightly, reconsidering. His multi-colored eyes searched hers for acceptance and permission. Sarah’s breath quickened as the ballroom seemed to spin out of focus and the masked faces became a blur. 

“Kiss me,” she entreated breathlessly. 

Jareth’s lips pulled into his charming, but wicked smile as he began to lean into her slowly. Sarah longed for the agony to end and turn into the sweet satisfaction his lips promised.

Before his lips met hers, the large clock let out a thunderous tone and Sarah remembered that this was a memory and it was about to end.

“No,” she whispered ardently. “Not this time.” 

She moved her hand from Jareth’s shoulder, wrapping her fingers around his neck and pulling his lips down against hers. She desperately wanted to erase the memory of her escape and replace it with that of a long awaited kiss. However, there are some things that cannot be changed. Sarah felt the soft graze of Jareth’s lips against her own before she became nothing more than an apparition in her own memory once again. She stumbled, no longer holding onto Jareth, the near kiss still tingling against her lips like a nasty taunt. 

“No,” she moaned unhappily, watching her former self race through the crowd and grab a chair.

“NO!” Sarah cried out as she watched her younger self fling the chair into the crystal sphere which had held them in the dream. The memory abruptly went dark and she was once again left alone within the darkness of the memory passed.

“That was foolish of me,” she scolded herself, as her heart dipped into despair. She touched her lips, still feeling the ghostly whisper of his caress upon them. “I should’ve known better.”

Burdened by bleak disappointment, Sarah retreated through the portal and back into the Hall of Memories. 

She turned back to the mirror and watched the ballroom shimmer back into view.

_ Is this just here to torment me? _ She wondered.  _ Is this my penance for my youthful naivety? _

Sarah sighed heavily and plodded down the hallway, wondering what new and terrible heartbreak the images would bring next. After sometime, she finally came upon the last mirror and saw herself standing with Jareth as he showed her the Labyrinth. Sarah saw her young self, so frightened and confused, but obstinate at the same time. The Goblin King towered over her, smug and self serving. Sarah noted that there was no love in his eyes for her at that moment, only extreme curiosity. 

“So, this is where it all began,” Sarah whispered to herself. It almost seemed unfitting to her that this was how her story had started. 

“Why is this here?” Sarah wondered aloud as she watched the scene on the last mirror. “What is this meant to show me?”

Something glinted against the wall at the end of the hallway. Sarah blinked in surprise. She hadn’t noticed it had come to an end. She approached the wall and noticed a solitary mirror against it. She cocked her head in confusion and curiosity. Unlike the other mirrors, this one was covered by a dark, sheer cloth.

“What?” Sarah murmured, stepping up to the mirror. An obscured scene played out behind the cloth which hung over the mirror. Sarah tentatively pulled on the gossamer material, suddenly stricken with unease. She feared what the mirror might show her and why it was covered. The material slipped quickly from the mirror, revealing a memory Sarah didn’t even know belonged to her.  

The scene depicted Jareth on his throne. He sat tall, deadly and beautiful, gazing down warmly at a very young, dark haired child who played at his feet. Sarah’s breath caught in her throat and she nearly choked on the realization as it struck her like a brick. The child looked up and she saw her face, but Sarah didn’t need to see the child’s face to know who she was.

_ That’s me! _ Her mind screamed. 

“What?!” Sarah breathed, shocked as her mind incoherently babbled questions with no explanations. “It can’t be. What does this mean? Have I been here before?”

Before Sarah could even contend with the whirlwind of questions that assaulted her mind, a woman came into view. She appeared to be confronting Jareth. Sarah was unable to see her face as the woman’s back was turned to her, but something about the woman seemed incredibly familiar. 

“Who’re you?” Sarah muttered softly, her mind still spinning. “I know you.”

Sarah drew closer to the mirror, enthralled by the scene which played out in front of her.

“Look at me,” she whispered. “Let me see your face.”

As if bidden by the request, the woman turned and Sarah was able to see her face. Sarah’s hands flew up to her mouth, suppressing the cry of genuine shock and surprise that leapt from her throat. 

The face of her mother peered back at her.


	17. Beating So Fast

Sarah’s heart thundered in her chest as she gazed at her mother’s face. Her breath hitched in her throat, coming out in short, rapid pants.

“It--it can’t be,” Sarah whimpered, staring unconvinced at the image of her mother. Her legs trembled weakly and she nearly collapsed to her knees.

“It’s not real,” Sarah whispered, her voice pinched with disbelief.

But it was real. Everything she had seen in the mirrors had actually happened. The mirrors acted as portals to the past, showing Sarah everything she had experienced in the Labyrinth. The other mirrors had shown Sarah her memories. This one was doing the same. However, this memory had been lost to time and long forgotten. Until now.

Sarah reached out a trembling hand to the mirror as she coaxed her stiff and numb legs to comply with her demands to move forward. She shuffled in a daze into the portal, nearly falling through it. She was met again by the now familiar swirl of kaleidoscope colors before emerging on the other side of the mirror. She stood next to her young self who continued to play obliviously on the floor with a hand carved doll.

“Give me my child!” Linda demanded shrilly, causing Sarah to jump slightly. She turned to watch Jareth’s reaction.

The Goblin King sat on his throne, lightly tapping his riding crop against his boot, a smug and cruel smile cresting over his lips. “Your child? No, not entirely. She belongs here. She’s part of this world, not yours. This is her true home.”

“Like hell it is!” Linda spat vehemently.

“The babe belongs here with me,” Jareth chattered idly examining his gloves, having become bored of his riding crop. He appeared completely carefree and unabashed by Sarah’s furious mother. “She has the power of the Fae.”

“She’s mine, damnit, not yours!” Linda shouted. “Give her back now!”

Jareth scoffed haughtily and rolled his eyes. “Well, I can tell there’s no reasoning with you. Why do I even bother?” He sighed in exasperation. “All you need to know is that she came with me of her own free will.”

“You stole her!” Linda raged. She looked around in disgust at the goblins which hid about the throne room, snickering and whispering amongst themselves as they watched the altercation.

“Stole is such a harsh word,” Jareth muttered, producing a crystal ball and languidly rolling it from the back of his hand to his fingertips. “Fine, what must I give you for her? Surely there is something you want.”

“How dare you?” Linda hissed. “What kind of monster are you?”

Jareth leaned forward menacingly, his eyes flashing fiercely. “The kind you don’t want to get involved with. Now, what shall I grant you? What dreams do you want fulfilled? All you have to do is tell me what you wish for and I can give it to you.”

“I want my daughter,” Linda retorted through clenched teeth. “Give her back to me.”

Jareth’s jaw flexed and Sarah could see a flash of anger ripple through him. His eyes darkened. “That’s not how this works.”

Linda ignored the ominous Goblin King and turned her attention to Sarah’s young self. “Come to me, Moppet. Come to mommy,” Linda entreated, reaching out a hand to her young daughter.

Sarah watched with great interest. She’d forgotten her mother used to call her Moppet when she was younger.

Sarah’s younger self looked over at her mother inquisitively before discarding the makeshift doll and teetering unsteadily to her feet. She had only taken a step towards her mother when Jareth reached down, gently resting his gloved hand on Sarah’s shoulder.  

“You do realize that you can’t keep me from her,” he threatened smugly.

“Don’t you touch her!” Linda shouted, her voice trembling with anger and desperation.

Jareth snickered, looking fondly down at Sarah. “The Keepers wouldn’t let their kind slip away so easily. They left markers, breadcrumbs, if you will, in order for their descendants to find a way back to this world. When I uncovered this place, I discovered their plight and their forgotten power.” Jareth trailed a gloved finger down Sarah’s chubby cheek. She stared up at him with wide eyed wonder. He smiled warmly down at her. “This babe holds their magic in her blood. She belongs to the Labyrinth as much as it belongs to her.”

“No. You can’t have her!” Linda shouted. “I’m her mother and I won’t allow it!”

“I’m afraid you have no choice,” Jareth taunted, still staring down at Sarah’s younger self. “She’s here now and she won’t leave. She wants to be here.”

“No! She wants to be with me!” Linda challenged, gesticulating wildly with her hands. “You think because you rule over these foul creatures you can control me or my daughter? You’re wrong! You have no power over me! You have no power over her!”

Jareth’s smile fell from his face and he stood up quickly, his eyes flashing in alarm as he gazed at Sarah’s mother. Sarah was shocked to discover the Goblin King appeared staggered by the remark.

“Those words,” Sarah murmured to herself. “Oh, God.”

Linda smiled triumphantly. “The only one who holds any power over her is me. I am her mother. She will do as I say and if I want to leave, she wants to leave. She won’t stay here with you. She’s coming with me and that’s final. This is a fight you can’t win.” Linda’s eyes narrowed at Sarah. “Come here, Moppet.”

Sarah’s younger self began to compliantly teeter over to her mother when Jareth swooped in front of her quickly, desperately brandishing a crystal.

“If you will not stay with me, then let me give you a gift,” he whispered to her. The crystal shown brightly and Sarah watched as her toddler self reached for it. The crystal rippled and turned into a red book, which Sarah grasped tightly in her small hands.

Sarah covered her mouth in shock as she recognized the book. Jareth looked warmly at the young Sarah, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. “Remember, you are the babe with the power.”

“Leave her alone!” Linda shouted. “What did you just do?”

Jareth stood, resting his hand once again on Sarah’s small shoulder. He gave her mother a sly smile. “I just gave her the power that will awaken the Fae within her. Regardless of your interference, she will know the truth and where she belongs.” He inclined his head to the book. “It will be written on those pages. She will seek us out in any way she can.” An arrogant cruelty shadowed his handsome face. “She will find her way back to this place one day.”

“No, I won’t allow it!” Linda snapped. “I’ll make sure of it!”

Jareth played with another crystal that magically appeared with the twist of his wrist, sliding it over his fingers and hands with hypnotic ease. “You’re mortal. When you leave this place you will think of this as nothing more than a dream. But the truth will remain for little Moppet here. It will be written from her perspective. You have no control over that.”

Linda scoffed. “That’s what you think. She’s a child. She’ll know the story I tell her. She’ll believe my words.

Jareth’s haunting smile did not wane. “Regardless of your efforts, she will unconsciously search for this world her whole life until she finds it again.” He snapped the crystal quickly between his fingers and it disappeared. He looked down once more at Sarah before releasing her shoulder. “She belongs here, after all.”

Linda glared at Jareth, reaching out her arms to Sarah as she teetered on small, unsteady legs to her mother. Linda gathered Sarah up in her arms and held her defensively, throwing a nasty look to the Goblin King.

“One day I will have the power to keep her here,” Jareth vowed softly. “The babe will be mine.”

Linda ignored him, turning her back brisking on Jareth and walking away. A few goblin stranglers shrieked in dismay as Sarah’s mother nearly trampled them in her haste to leave.

Sarah began walking after her mother, passing the Goblin King who stood with an air of haughtiness she’d never seen anyone possess. She caught up to her mother, who was clutching her younger self as tightly as she could..

“Mommy?” Sarah’s young voice drifted out between the crook of Linda’s neck.

“Yes, Moppet?” Linda replied, her voice cracking as she strove against the torrent of emotions that must have been flooding through her.

“Am I dreaming?” Young Sarah asked.

Linda sniffled and nodded. “Yes, and now it’s time to go back to sleep.”

Sarah watched as her younger self fidgeted in her mother’s arms, pulling the book up and practically shoving it in her mother’s face. “Read to me!”

Linda drew back from the book, a chalky expression of alarm and dismay frozen on her face. “No, Moppet. Not right now.”

“Please!” Young Sarah whined, waving the book frantically.

Linda sighed lightly, shifting her insistent child in her arms and taking the book. She opened it and Sarah leaned in to see the words of the story begin to form on the pages of the book. However, it was not the story she’d known as a child.

Linda skimmed the words on the pages, her mouth turning down into an unhappy frown. “Okay,” Linda murmured. “Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived in a great kingdom and she was loved by--”

“Goblin King!” Young Sarah squealed in delight.

“No!” Linda barked unhappily, startling both Sarah’s younger self and her at the same time. Linda threw a worried glance over her shoulder to Jareth who had retreated to his throne, impatiently tapping his riding crop against his boot once more. He smirked at Linda’s struggles.

“No,” Linda soothed more gently, turning her attention back to her child “No, not by the Goblin King. She was loved dearly by the people of her kingdom. This made her strong willed and powerful.”

Sarah watched in awe as the words on the pages of the book fell away, twisted and rearranged,  creating the story she had known her whole life.

“Everything was perfect until one day a horrible man came to the girl’s kingdom, stealing her child,” Linda continued hastily. “Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, the girl fought her way to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that was stolen.” Sarah watched as the words began to form the familiar story and Linda beamed down at the pages happily.

“She confronted the Goblin King, demanding that he return the child. And because her will was as strong as his and her kingdom just as great, he could not deny the girl. She said the words which rendered him helpless against her,” Linda continued hurriedly.

“What words?” Young Sarah asked enthralled.

“Remember these words, Moppet,” Linda whispered fervently. “No matter what, remember these words. The girl told the Goblin King ‘you have no power over me.’”

“What happens next?” Young Sarah asked, wide eyed and excited.

Linda cuddled Sarah against her, looking down at the book. The girl rescued the child and they both went home where they lived happily ever after.”

“Again!” Sarah clapped happily. “Again!”

“Not right now, Moppet,” Linda soothed, embracing Sarah tightly. “Go to sleep now, okay?”

The child Sarah nodded, cuddling into her mother’s shoulder and thrusting a pudgy thumb into her mouth before slowly closing her eyes. With one last glance over her shoulder, Linda hoisted her child up more comfortably in her arms and strode out of the castle.

Sarah watched her mother leave, her mind still reeling from the events she had just witness. She turned to look to the Goblin King and yelped in surprise to find him right behind her. He stood tall and beautiful as ever, his cold eyes staring right through her as his gaze followed her mother. Sarah appraised him closely. He appeared annoyed, but not overly upset over losing Sarah as a young child. He leisurely rolled a crystal over his hand and fingers.

“You think think you’ve won,” Jareth mused lightly. “But once the door is open, it cannot be closed.” He stopped rolling the crystal and looked deeply into it. “She will step through it again.” Sarah leaned in to see if she could watch what Jareth saw in the crystal ball. Upon doing so, Sarah also noticed that Jareth was not wearing his pendant.

 _This must’ve happened before he got his pendant,_ Sarah thought to herself. _Surely if he’d had it, he would’ve fought harder to keep me here, right?_

“Or were you just so arrogant that you thought there was no way you could lose me?” Sarah asked Jareth, knowing he would never answer her. “You were so sure you could find me again.”

Sarah scoffed. Clearly, Jareth had sorely underestimated the influence a mother has over her child.

“So, I was the babe with the power,” Sarah murmured, shaking her head as she began to understand the bedeviling puzzle that had taunted her since she had come back to the Labyrinth. “It was always me.”

The memory ended abruptly while Sarah stood in a stupor of discovery, barely able to acknowledge the presence of the darkness which surrounded her. She waited patiently for the memory to begin again, keenly observing every detail to make sure sure hadn’t missed anything in her initial shock. After the third time, Sarah stepped out of the portal, her mind racing with countless questions. She tenaciously ignored them, pulling her backpack off her shoulder and sliding down the wall across from the mirrors. She unzipped her bag and reached in for the little red book. She held it reverently, her fingers sliding over the worn cover. She opened it tentatively, skimming the newly written lines of her adventure.

 _So, that’s what Titania meant by the story had already been played out,_ Sarah thought, shaking her head slowly as comprehension began to quell the whirlwind of questions inside her mind. _Because it had happened before, but to my mother. She was the one who had fought her way through the Goblin City to find the child that had been stolen. I was the stolen child. Jareth gave me a book which wrote itself based on my experiences in the Labyrinth, but my mother told me a different version so I’d forget._

Sarah closed the book, rubbing the depressed lettering with her thumb thoughtfully. If her mother had wanted her to forget, then why did she let her keep the book? Her mother had never shown any admonishment towards the story. In fact, Sarah always thought her mother loved the story.

“Of course,” Sarah muttered, understanding almost immediately. Jareth had told Sarah’s mother that because she was mortal, she would think the whole ordeal was a dream. Therefore, the contents of the book would not bother Sarah’s mother as she would have thought she’d been dreaming about the story in the first place.

“Okay, that mystery’s solved,” Sarah sighed. She tapped the spine of the book against her palm. “So, how did he find me in the first place?”

Sarah recalled how Jareth said that the Keepers had left breadcrumbs, a trail for their kind to find their way back to Underground. Perhaps Jareth had somehow found a way to reverse the trail and followed it to Sarah.

 _But that still doesn’t answer how he got into my world,_ the voice inside her head contested. _I had to summon him with the right words last time_ . _It doesn’t make sense._

Sarah straightened as it all suddenly became clear to her. The book she was holding fell from her hands and hollowly thudded on the ground.

“There are no right words,” Sarah whispered, dumbstruck.

As she said it, she knew it to be true. There never were any magic words. There never was a magic spell to banish the child.

Jareth’s voice resounded in her ears with a note of finality to a revelation that had come far too late. _Once the door is opened, it cannot be closed._

Jareth may have shown her the door, but she had opened it. She had done it all. She had been the one to pull Jareth from Underground all those years ago when she had flippantly wished Toby away. Jareth must’ve felt Sarah’s power and mistaken it for Toby’s since she had been so close to her brother. That was why he took the child. The undeniable truth was that due to his arrogance, Jareth had lost Sarah years ago, forcing him to find an alternative  source of power in order to control the Labyrinth. Once he had the power of his pendant fused with his own magic, he no longer needed Sarah. Even if he had continued to search for her, Jareth would’ve been searching for a child, not a teenage girl. Given the longevity and near immortality of the Fae species, he wouldn’t have had any concept of human growth and aging. Simply put, when Jareth came to take Toby, he didn’t know who Sarah was. Her mother had never said her name. It wasn’t until she’d unknowingly exhibited her powers while traipsing through the Labyrinth did he discover that she was indeed the babe with the power he had lost all those years ago.

Sarah’s heart sank and she slid her knees to her chest, hugging herself tightly. After all this time, she finally had the answers she had so desperately sought. She finally knew everything.

“All he ever wanted was my power,” she whispered remorsefully. “That was his plan from the beginning.” A bitter tear slid down her cheek. “But then he fell in love with me and damned us both.”

The realization was overwhelming and the heartache it brought with it was nearly unbearable. She wondered about the depths and sincerity of his love for her. Obviously it had been enough to fracture his magic, but was that love still as ardent as it had been before he was captured and tortured by Euryale?

_Euryale._

A wave of guilt rolled over Sarah. The Gorgon Queen was a villain who was only made a villain due to unfortunate circumstance. She had been nothing more than a means to an end for Jareth; merely a way to fix his broken magic.

“So, does that make Jareth the villain?” Sarah asked herself morosely.

 _It doesn’t make him good,_ the nagging voice in her head answered.

 _So, where does that leave me?_ Sarah wondered.

She closed her eyes and sighed. A lot had happened in a short amount of time and she was still racing to catch up with everything, including herself.

“It doesn’t change anything,” Sarah muttered. She felt calmer hearing the sound of her own voice cut through the deafening silence of the grand hall. “Euryale had a choice. She could’ve been the better person and just left. Or she could’ve just taken her revenge on Jareth and left it at that. Instead she went further and tried to destroy the Labyrinth and all its inhabitants. And now she’s hellbent on destroying me because she blames me for the pain Jareth caused her.”

It became painfully clear to Sarah in that moment that Euryale would never stop. It would never be enough for her to simply destroy the Labyrinth and kill the Goblin King. That would not satiate her hunger for revenge. Euryale wanted Sarah. She was the prize. No matter what fallacies Euryale had spun, her ultimate goal was Sarah and Sarah knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was nothing she could do to stop Euryale from hunting her down.

“I know what I have to do. I have to get to her first. I’m going to stop her,” Sarah vowed. “I’m going to save the Labyrinth and I’m going to save Jareth.” She stood up, her resolve rising with her courage. “It’s time to end this once and for all.”

A guttural growl cut through the air and Sarah’s newfound courage leapt out of her and crashed through the wall. She stumbled backwards, tripping over her backpack and landing hard on her backside and elbows. She scuttled away from the rumbling, her wide, terror stricken eyes avidly scanning the hallway for the creature that approached her.

 _They found me!_ Her mind screamed. _How did they find me so fast?_

Sarah scrambled for the backpack, yanking the Firey hand out and striking it on the wall. She stood, holding the flaming hand out in front of her defensively. She backed up to the last mirror, preparing to call for the helping hands. Her mind quickly stitched together an escape plan. She hoped that the creature would dive for her and get caught in the memory while the hands yanked her down and out of harm’s way.

“Come on!” Sarah shouted, steeling herself for an attack as a giant figure began to loom into view. “Come and get me!”

“Hm? Hello?” A gravelly voice called out curiously.

Sarah froze, blinking with immense surprise at the voice that stirred something in the deepest depths of her memory.

“Hello?” She echoed back. She squinted as the lumbering beast advanced down the hallway and slowly became illuminated by the glow of the Firey hand. His orange fur was matted and dirty, but he was still unmistakable to Sarah ever after all the years. She dropped the Firey hand to the ground and placed her own hand to her mouth to stifle the whimper that escaped her throat.

“It can’t be! L--Ludo?” Sarah’s cried out hoarsely.

“Hmm?” Ludo hummed, looking down the hallway at Sarah curiously. “Yes, Ludo.”

Sarah tremored, her knees becoming weak as the tears began to spill freely down her cheeks in torrents. He was alive. She’d thought him to be dead, but here he was in front of her and he was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.

“Oh, Ludo,” she sobbed happily. “You’re here!

Ludo nodded awkwardly, unsure of how to handle Sarah’s display. “Uh, yes.”

“Don’t you recognize me?” Sarah laughed, reaching for the beast.

Ludo stared at her and shook his head slowly, retracting from her outstretched hand.

“Ludo, it’s okay,” she sniffled. “It’s me! It’s Sarah!”

“Sarah?” Ludo mumbled, looking skeptically at her as she reached for him again. Sarah nodded vigorously, wiping the tears that spilled unyieldingly from her eyes.

Ludo appraised her a moment longer before his large mouth lifted into a gummy smile and his eyes shown brightly. “Sarah!”

He lurched forward, his arms struck out in front of him like in an old Frankenstein movie. “Sarah, friend!” He crowed happily.

“Ludo,” Sarah sobbed, colliding with him and burying her tear stained face in his fur. His arms encircled around her, picking her up in a crushing embrace. He almost seemed to purr with delight.

“Sarah back!” Ludo panted happily.

Sarah chuckled through her tears and sniffed. “Yes, I’m back. I came back, Ludo.”

“Ludo miss Sarah,” the giant beast sighed, pressing his head down on top of hers as he continued to rock and hug her.

“I missed you, too, big guy,” Sarah murmured, affectionately stroking the fur of his arms. “Everyone thought you were dead.”

Ludo hummed sympathetically, mimicking Sarah’s movements and sliding his large hand reassuringly up and down her back.

“What happened to you?” Sarah asked, finally pulling away from Ludo. “How did you end up down here?”

Ludo shook his head, as if trying to knock the memories loose. “Hm, battle. Bad. Ludo call rocks. Rocks help.”

Sarah nodded, waiting patiently for Ludo to continue.

“Ground collapse. Ludo fall,” he made a falling motion with his hands. “Ludo wander. Ludo lost.”

“You couldn’t find your way out?” Sarah asked bewildered.

Ludo shook his head morosely.

Sarah reached for his hand. “You mean you’ve been down here this whole time?”

Ludo bobbed his head emphatically. “Ludo lost. Ludo hungry!”

Sarah pursed her lips, feeling horrible for her friend. “Oh!” She gasped suddenly. “Wait! I have some food!”

She quickly bounced over to her backpack and opened a side compartment to reveal the bundle of food Sir Didymus had given her. She reminisced about her meal in the clearing with Hoggle and Sir Didymus. It felt like it had happened years ago. She turned and handed the bundle to Ludo. “Here you go, big guy.”

Ludo panted excitedly, gently taking the bundle from Sarah. “Hmm, thanks!”

Sarah smiled as she watched him tug impatiently at the string and tip the bundle voraciously into his mouth. Ludo made muffled sounds of appreciation as he ate. Stray nuts and berries tumbled from his mouth, snagging in his fur as he chewed. Sarah chuckled and Ludo gave her a wide smile before tilting the bundle to his mouth once again.

“Feel better?” Sarah asked as Ludo finished the bag. Ludo nodded vigorously, picking the escaped nuts and berries from his fur and popping them into his mouth.

“Better,” he mumbled as he searched for more remnants throughout his fur.

“Good,” Sarah chuckled, bending down and gathering up the Firey hand and book to place back in her bag. As she tucked them away, she spied the chest again. She pulled it out slowly, opening it and gazing down once again at Jareth’s pendant. She touched the smooth medallion, invigorated by the shock of magic it sent through her.

“Pretty,” Ludo commented as he looked over her shoulder, licking his fingers noisily.

“Yes,” Sarah agreed. “It belongs to the Goblin King. We must return it to him.” Sarah picked up the pendant, running her thumb over the symbol. The pendant almost seemed to speak to her. It entreated her to wear it, promising her great and powerful magic.

Sarah gripped the pendant in her hand, clutching it to her chest.

“Sarah, okay?” Ludo asked.

Sarah sat for a moment, the pendant pressed against her palm which she still held to her chest.

“Yes, I think I will be okay now, Ludo.” She looked over her shoulder and threw a smile at the big creature. He smiled back, bits of nuts and berries stuck in his teeth. “After all, we found each other.”

Ludo panted happily again, shuffling a little as if in an excited dance. Sarah placed the chest back in her backpack and zipped it closed. She stood, swinging the bag over her shoulder.

“What say you, big guy? Are you ready to get out of this place?”

Ludo nodded vigorously. Sarah offered him her hand. “Then let’s get out of here.”

Ludo took Sarah’s hand eagerly. She led him down the hallway from where she had entered and was unsurprised to see the cramped tunnel had turned into a wide passageway large to accommodate Ludo. Sarah allowed her mind to wander as her feet instinctively knew the way out.  

She thought back on all the things she’d learned since coming to the Labyrinth. Her adventures had made her doubt a great many things including herself and who she was. It had made her question the love of the beautiful, yet deceptive Goblin King. It had even caused her to question her own sanity. Her newfound knowledge that she had been to the Labyrinth before and in the grasp of the Goblin King distressed her. It appeared that at one time she had simply been a means to gain more control over the Labyrinth. It seemed he only wanted her power and that is why he took Toby from her. He felt her power on him and thought that he could use the boy’s power on the Labyrinth. That is until he discovered that Sarah was actually the one with the power.

Though this was all speculation, Sarah was certain she was right. However, as there are two sides to every coin, so there are two sides to every story. She vowed to let Jareth tell his side of the story once she liberated him from Euryale’s grasp. However, despite her resolute promise to be fair and give Jareth a chance to explain himself and his position, Sarah couldn’t deny the evidence she’d discovered had swayed her opinion drastically. No matter how hard she tried to deny it, her love for him had wavered and distrust began to blossom in the back of her mind. Although she truly believed that Jareth did at one time love her, she found it difficult to believe that the love he had for her still remained after everything that had happened.

Despite her best attempts to remain positive, Sarah’s thoughts and feelings for Jareth were now stained by doubt.


	18. Mornings Of Gold

The isolation of the tunnels seemed a thing of the past with Ludo lumbering happily beside Sarah. Though quiet by nature, Ludo made several jovial grunts and groans, indicating his absolute elation to be reunited with his friend. 

Sarah shared in his enthusiasm. She had feared she would never again see the gentle beast. His companionship was a welcome addition to her adventure.

After several minutes of winding through tunnels, Sarah led them to what appeared to be a dead end.

“Sarah lost?” Ludo inquired skeptically.

“Not at all,” Sarah assured him. “Things aren’t always what they seem in this place.” She reached out and felt the earthen wall in front of her. She pushed hard against the wall, but it didn’t budge. 

Ludo tilted his head inquisitively as he watched her, scratching absentmindedly behind his ear.

“Where is it?” Sarah muttered irritably to herself as her fingers slid across the dirt, coming to rest on a stiff and dried vine.

She smiled. “Ah, here we are.” Sarah yanked forcefully on the vine and the earthen wall in front of them began to rumble and shake, stubbornly giving way and falling inward. A cloud of dust enveloped them, eliciting a violent coughing fit from them both. 

“Ugh, you okay, Ludo?” Sarah asked, detesting the sound and feel of the dirt as it settled on her teeth. She coughed again, waving the dirt away from her face with her hand. 

“Uh-huh,” Ludo mumbled. He looked up, his mouth turning into a wide smile as he pointed. “Sarah, look!”

Sarah followed his gaze. Bright, hazy sunlight filtered down through the hole as the dust parted and began to settle. Through the haze, Sarah could make out an old ladder which promised an escape. She looked over at Ludo.

“Are you ready to get out of here?” Sarah asked, grinning broadly.

Ludo chuffed happily, bouncing from one foot to the other at the prospect of freedom.

“Okay,” Sarah chuckled. “Just follow me.”

She approached the ladder cautiously, pulling on it and testing its sturdiness. Despite its rickety appearance, it seemed solid under her touch. Sarah warily set a foot on the rung, gradually raising herself higher and higher. Ludo mimicked her movements, placing a giant hand and foot on the rungs, following Sarah slowly. The ladder shuddered and shook under their combined weight, but held together. Sarah breathed out a sigh of relief.

“That’s it, big guy,” she encouraged. “Just take it slow. Nice and easy.”

“Ludo want down!” Ludo moaned as the ladder creaked unhappily under them.

“No, keep climbing. It’s okay, Ludo,” Sarah soothed, gripping the rungs tightly. “We’re almost there. Trust me. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Pro--Promise?” Ludo whimpered, looking up at Sarah with large, pleading eyes.

“Promise,” Sarah vowed solemnly.

Ludo nodded and continued, his progress painstakingly slow due to his tribulations. Sarah, on the other hand, increased her pace as the light grew closer above her. She was very nearly able to taste the fresh air which wafted from beyond the top of the hole.  

_ Almost there, _ Sarah chanted to herself.  _ Just a few more rungs… _

Sarah was surprised when droplets of water began to patter down on her forehead.

_ Is it raining?  _ She wondered as she neared the opening.  _ But it’s too bright to be… _

Her thought was cut short when a gush of water sprayed her as she popped her head up through the opening. Surprised, Sarah clawed frantically to keep her grip on the ladder, lest she topple back down the way she came. She held on tightly, sputtering through the water and pushing herself above it.

She gasped in a breath of air, shaking the water from her head and eyes, unwilling to release her death grip on the ladder to remove the soaked strands of hair plastered to her face. Through her wet and matted hair, Sarah tried to assess her surroundings. She was amazed to discover that she had emerged through an opening at the top of a tall water fountain. She scanned the landscape and was even more shocked when she recognized the clearing.

_ This was where we had lunch!  _ Her mind sang happily.  _ We’re so close! _ _  
_ “Ludo, we’re in a fountain,” Sarah called down, finally brushing the hair that clung wetly to her face behind her ear. “There’s lots of water. Be careful!”

“Okay,” came Ludo’s hesitant reply. Sarah turned her attention back to the fountain and the ground below, wondering how she was going to get down without getting wet. Finding the probability of staying dry an impossible endeavor, Sarah decided to discard her backpack so that she could spare it from getting waterlogged. She searched for a safe area, spotting a tangled mass of dense shrubbery. She shifted her backpack off her arm, aiming carefully and gently lobbing the bag into the awaiting bush. It bounced against the shrubs, sliding forward slightly before coming to a halt. 

“Now if only  _ I _ could get down that easily,” Sarah mused quietly, craning her neck as she searched for a safe way down the fountain. She pulled herself out of the hole, her jeans and shoes instantly drenched by the cascading water. Carefully, she edged herself closer to the steep precipice of the fountain. Despite her slow and meticulous movements, Sarah felt her feet slide on the slippery surface. Desperately, she clawed for something to grab onto, but her hands caught nothing except water as she began to fall.

“Oh!” She cried out in shock, sliding off the top of the fountain and plummeting down into the awaiting pool.  

Sarah hit the water hard, causing her to lose what little breath she had kept during her unscheduled descent. Sarah thrashed violently, swallowing a great deal of water as she submerged underneath the surface of the cool liquid. She struggled against the weight of the water, forcing herself up to the bright sun that rippled and wavered above her. The relief of the afternoon air rushed over her in a cool breeze as it kissed her face when she broke the water’s surface.  

Sarah floundered ungracefully at first, sputtering uncontrollably as she worked to remove the liquid from her lungs and replace it with the air she so desperately needed. As she began to calm down, Sarah was grateful, but not overly surprised that the fountain was deep enough for her to swim in. As she moved her legs, she peered down into the watery depths. It appeared to have no bottom at all.

“Sarah?!” Ludo called down, breaking into Sarah’s thoughts. He sounded incredibly worried. 

Sarah coughed, clearing her raw and burning throat. “I’m alright, Ludo.” She swam to the side of the fountain’s pool and peered up. She could just barely make out his orange fur glinting in the afternoon sun. “It’s okay, Ludo. Come down!”

Ludo edged closer to the side of the fountain to where Sarah could see him more clearly. He gauged the distance between them and shook his head obstinately. “Uh-uh, nope.”

“No?” Sarah asked, a chuckle following her question. “What’s wrong? Can’t you swim?”

Ludo shook his head violently again, causing Sarah to laugh harder at his reluctance. She pushed away from the side of the pool, lazing back in the water. Although her initial introduction to the water hadn’t been very enjoyable, she was now enjoying her swim. She felt refreshed and revitalized, floating weightlessly along the surface. 

“Come on, Ludo,” Sarah called up to the trembling beast. “I told you I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. You can trust me. Just jump!” 

“Hmm, ‘kay,” Ludo murmured, sounding rather unconvinced. He edged closer still to the side of the fountain, trying to catch a glimpse of her far below. His eyes went wild with fear and surprise as his foot slipped the way Sarah’s had and he came crashing down in a ball of frenzied thrashing.

“Yeeee-arrrrgh!” He screeched. Sarah’s own eyes went wide as she hurriedly dove under the surface of the water, kicking her feet fervently to avoid the cannon ball of a monster that came careening down above her.

Ludo hit the water, the riptide of his landing causing Sarah to be tossed and tumbled viciously under the surface of the water. She emerged seconds later, watching Ludo flail violently. He howled in discontent and misery.

“Ludo!” Sarah called, having to shout in order to be heard over his wails. “You have to calm down. Watch me!” She ordered sternly. “Just look at me and do as I do.”

Sarah put her arms out and floated gently, pushing them down every so often so that she bobbed on the surface. She slowly moved her legs to keep herself in an upright position.

“Breathe deeply and calmly,” she instructed in a more gentle tone. “Place your arms out and push them down against the water slowly to keep yourself afloat.” 

Ludo’s thrashing subsided, but his eyes remained wide and fearful as he watched Sarah. He endeavored to match her movements, gradually calming down enough to achieve a semi-floating, semi-floundering state above the surface of the water. 

“You got it!” Sarah cheered. “Just like taking a bath!” 

“Ludo hate baths!” He bemoaned sorely, still mastering his newly found swimming techniques.

Sarah laughed, falling backwards into the water and floating once more, enjoying the weightless comfort. 

Ludo imitated her movements, quickly sinking beneath the surface. He erupted from the water seconds later, thrashing helplessly until he remembered to use the technique Sarah had just taught him. Ludo watched her keenly as Sarah swam around him, fluidly rolling from her back and to her stomach, pulling herself through the water with ease.  

“Sarah good,” Ludo observed. Sarah sighed in contentment, lazily turning onto her back once more so that her face could bask in the warmth and light of the afternoon sun.  

“I’ve had practice,” Sarah remarked. Reluctantly, she rolled herself upright. As much as she longed to enjoy herself in the refreshing water, she still had a great many things to do. There were those waiting for her and counting on her return. 

“One day, when this is all over, I’m going to teach you how to swim,” Sarah promised Ludo. “Would you like that?”

Ludo nodded vigorously, causing water to ripple over her in choppy waves. Sarah giggled at the child-like enthusiasm Ludo possessed. 

“We’re going to get out now,” Sarah said. “Watch me.” She began paddling slowly, showing Ludo in long, drawn out movements how to pull himself through the water. He mimicked her, somehow dragging himself through the water beside her without drowning them both. Sarah grabbed the edge of the pool, easing herself out with considerable effort due to the added weight of her clothes. One of the things she always hated after leaving the water was how heavy she felt on her feet. She sighed unhappily, wishing she could slide back into the pool and enjoy a carefree afternoon paddling in its depths. 

“Here,” Sarah offered, reaching out for Ludo who seemed to have more difficulty than she did leaving the water. Ludo gratefully accepted her hand and Sarah struggled to pull the heavy, wet beast from the fountain. His size in addition to the weight of the water in his fur was almost too much for Sarah. She feared he would pull them both back into the water.

Eventually, between the kicking, scrambling and grunting, Ludo was successfully able to crawl out of the pool. He gazed down ruefully at his dripping wet fur. He gave Sarah an overly mournful expression. He looked like a big, adorable, yet slightly pathetic, wet dog.

“Sorry, big guy,” she chuckled while ringing the water from her hair and clothes. “I’m afraid there isn’t a big enough hair dryer in the world for you. It’ll take some time, but you’ll dry in the sun.” 

Ludo groaned and before Sarah could run for cover, he began shaking himself dry just as a dog would, showering droplets of water everywhere. 

“Hey!” She complained, shielding her face from the spray of water. 

Ludo panted in delight at her outburst, shaking himself once more for good measure. 

Sarah glared playfully at him as his orange fur began to perk up and stand on end. It appeared he dried quickly. Sarah wiped the remaining drops of water from her face as she sloshed over to the shrubs which held her backpack. She picked up the bag and slung it over her shoulder, wishing she had a pair of dry shoes and clothes packed away. She hated walking in wet attire. She looked up to the sky and saw the afternoon sun was beginning to wane. 

“Let’s go find the others,” Sarah remarked hastily. “Before it gets dark.”

“Ludo follow Sarah,” he agreed, patting down his fur futilely. Sarah watched in amusement as Ludo’s hair began to fluff up, making him appear like a giant orange cotton candy.

“Hmm!” He groaned unhappily, looking to Sarah for help. “Something wrong!” Ludo murmured, motioning to his plumping fur.

Sarah covered her mouth, stifling a laugh. “Nothing’s wrong, you just need brushed is all. And maybe some good conditioner. We’ll figure something out when we get to the fairy thicket.”

“Hm, Ludo fluffy!” He lamented, pushing down on his fur again. “Fluffy bad!”

“Some people pay for fluffy,” Sarah snickered flippantly. “Come on, Ludo, we need to get moving.” Sarah grabbed his hand and began walking. However, Ludo remained rooted in place, nearly pulling Sarah off her feet.

“Ludo!” Sarah scoffed, surprised. “What’s wrong?” 

Ludo lifted his free hand and pointed, his eyes fixated on something in the distance. “There,” he mumbled. 

Sarah followed her friend’s line of sight and felt her jaw drop open in utter astonishment as a beautiful creature casually approached them. 

“Titania?” Sarah gawked, shocked beyond measure.

Titania smiled warmly. “Hello, Sarah.” She turned her lovely gaze to Ludo. “Greetings to you as well.”

Ludo shuffled behind Sarah, as if she would protect him from the petite, yet somehow fierce fairy creature. Sarah squeezed his hand gently in reassurance.

“What’re you doing here?” Sarah asked, baffled by the Fairy Queen’s sudden appearance. “I thought you couldn’t leave the fairy thicket?”

“Your friends came and told me all that had happened.” Titania replied cooly. “I was worried when they said you had taken the path alone. Your well-being is far more important than my own. I came to find you and make sure you arrived safely back to my thicket. I couldn’t allow you to travel alone.” Her big eyes appraised Ludo. “Though it appears you are not entirely alone.”

“I found him in the tunnels,” Sarah explained, turning to pat Ludo reassuringly on his fluffy chest. “I’ve known Ludo for a long time.”

Titania’s smile appeared strained. It was starting to make Sarah feel uncomfortable. “It seems you have friends in every corner. You are rather fortunate.”

Sarah faltered slightly, unsure if the remark was a compliment or a criticism. 

“I suppose I am,” she replied softly.

Titania’s gaze shifted from Ludo to Sarah. “Am I to assume you succeeded in discovering the heart of the Labyrinth?”

Sarah nodded. “Yes, I did.”

Titania’s eyes sparkled wildly, lighting up with a brilliant desire. “And did you retrieve the Goblin King’s pendant?”

Sarah nodded again, this time slowly. “Yes.”

Titania reached out her hand. “Give it to me.”

Sarah stared at Titania, an uneasy feeling of dread creeping over her. “Why?”

Titania’s smile stretched further. “Because with it, I can stop Euryale and set things right.”

Sarah hesitated. Something felt wrong with the exchange. Titania didn’t seem like herself and it bothered Sarah that Ludo seemed so frightened by her.  

“Please, Sarah,” Titania entreated, beckoning with her outstretched hand. “Give me the pendant. We haven’t much time left.”

Sarah swallowed, allowing the backpack to slide from her shoulder. She slowly unzipped it, reaching in and grabbing the chest. She held it close to her, zipping the bag closed and once again repositioning it on her shoulder.

Titania’s large eyes set raptly on the chest Sarah held firmly between her hands. A deadly desire burned deep within them.  

“Is that it?” Titania asked hastily.

“Yes,” Sarah answered, trying her hardest to keep her breathing calm and even.

“Give it to me,” Titania demanded, thrusting out her hand again.

“Sarah,” Ludo murmured, resting a questioning palm on her shoulder. 

“It’s alright, Ludo,” Sarah comforted. “It’s just Titania. She’s a friend.”

Titania’s grin pulled even more, her lips taut and thin against her teeth. “That’s right, Ludo. I’m a friend.”

Sarah stepped forward, wordlessly offering Titania the chest. 

Titania viciously snatched the chest from Sarah’s fingers. She held it up high above her head as if it were a trophy, a cruel, evil cackle escaping her hideously stretched lips.

“Fool!” She hissed victoriously. Sarah watched in horror as Titania’s skin began to stretch, ribboning into fine strands before ripping at her mouth. She pushed back against Ludo, watching in awe and disgust as Titania’s flesh tore away from her body in sickening layers. The Fairy Queen’s jaw elongated, tusks shredding through what was once delicate, creamy white skin. Her large, bright eyes narrowed, becoming tinged with yellow before turning to slits and deepening into dark golden depths. A horrible ripping sound began to fill the air as Titania grew taller, her skin peeling off her in heavy chunks. Her wings withered and fell from her body like a dismembered butterly. Sarah shuddered, the gruesome sight and sound of tearing flesh causing her stomach to heave with an appalled queasiness. 

Ludo wrapped his arms protectively around Sarah as they watched a new creature emerge from the ruined remains of tattered flesh and sinew. It reminded Sarah of a snake shedding its skin. 

“Euryale,” Sarah spat between clenched teeth. 

Euryale laughed wickedly, her claws grasping the small chest Sarah had given her.

“You fool!” Euryale cackled again. “You just handed me the very thing that will grant my victory.” Her liquid gold eyes fell to Sarah. “And the only thing protecting you from my gaze.” She smirked, a wicked smile pulling at her reptilian lips as her eyes began to glow. “You will be my favorite trophy.” 

Although she fought to look away, Sarah was compelled to meet the Gorgon Queen’s penetrating gaze, powerless against the allure of it. Sarah knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was the gaze Euryale used to turn her enemies to stone.

Sarah glared back at Euryale with an expression mired with defiance and strength. She wouldn’t allow the horrible Queen to see any fear in her eyes. Euryale’s smile faltered, her lips curling instead into a sneer of disbelief as the glow faded from her eyes. 

“What sorcery is this?” Euryale hissed. “How are you not stone?” 

“What’s wrong, Euryale?” Sarah taunted aggressively. “Do you not hold the power to stop me after all?”

“No,” Euryale moaned as realization griped her scaley face. She thrust open the chest and stared dumbly down at the empty velvet lining. 

“Looking for this?” Sarah asked as she reached into her shirt and pulled out the pendant. She flaunted it for Euryale to see before dropping it against her chest. 

Sarah shrugged casually, a cocky smirk on her face. “Looks nice on me, don’t you think?”

Euryale’s eyes immediately filled with blood red fury as they’d done before. “Give that to me now!” She screamed. Sarah had never seen anyone or anything more enraged than the Gorgon Queen was in that moment. Sarah secretly delighted in the fury and discomfort she’d caused Euryale. 

Sarah didn’t budge, unaffected by the threatening stance of the Gorgon Queen.

“No,” she said calmly, her tone smooth and commanding. “I am the Keeper of this Labyrinth. What power you have is nothing compared to the power I now possess. If you fight me, if you oppose me, you will fail.” Sarah took a step forward and saw Euryale recoil at her approach.

“I know the Goblin King stirs,” Sarah continued in a cold, unafflicted tone. “I can feel his life force becoming stronger as we speak.” 

Euryale growled at Sarah, coiling into herself and threatening to strike. Sarah remained steadfast, refusing to back down. 

“What you fail to realize is that you’ve already lost,” Sarah declared, lowering her voice so that it took on a menacing timbre. “But you still have a choice. Leave my Labyrinth. You’ve had your revenge on Jareth. You’ve made him suffer and caused him pain as he caused you. I am giving you one last chance. Leave now and I can assure you there will be no retaliation. You can still live in peace.” 

Euryale glared hatefully at Sarah, her body rigid and her hands curled into tight fists at her side. Sarah could see dark blood dripping from her clenched fists. Euryale had dug her claws into her skin so deeply that she bled. 

Sarah ignored the blood. “But deny me and I will kill you with myself.”

Sarah’s resolute demeanor shattered as derisive laughter erupted from Euryale. Sarah faltered as an unsettling feeling of dread drifted heavily over her. 

“You really think it that easy to rid yourself of me?” Euryale snarled. “You stumble upon power you have no idea how to control and you think it makes you indestructible. You’re nothing more than a simple child playing a game you have no idea how to win! There are more magicks here than you can ever fathom let alone wield and control.” Euryale began advancing towards Sarah, making her retreat instead. Sarah fidgeted uncomfortably as she knew she no longer had the upperhand. 

“Ask yourself this,” Euryale slithered. “Why didn’t the Goblin King try to kill me himself?”

Sarah was staggered by the rebuttal, but fought to remain steady, refusing to reveal her shock to Euryale.

“I don’t know,” Sarah replied scornfully. “Why don’t you enlighten me?” 

Euryale snickered. “As all Fae creatures know, to kill me is to kill themselves. Nothing can protect them from the curse of the Gorgon line.”

“Curse?” Sarah muttered, realizing she had lost her authoritative tone. “You expect me to believe that? You’d say anything to save your scaley hide!”

Euryale grinned sinisterly. “If you were true Fae, you would know. Killing me would turn you to stone. That is the curse of my death and no amount of magic can protect you from this malediction. Are you really willing to pay such a heavy price?”

Sarah was rocked by the revelation, but quickly reminded herself of Euryale’s ability to spin fallacy. “I would gladly pay any price to see the Labyrinth rid of your pestilence!” Sarah retorted spitefully. 

Euryale shook with anger, displeased with Sarah’s reaction. 

“Then so be it, mortal child!” Euryale hissed. “I will not rest until the Labyrinth lays in smoldering ruins and your precious Goblin King’s flesh is nothing but festering food for the worms!”

Sarah wavered slightly, her confident demeanor shaken by the vivid threat. She swallowed hard. “You’ll have to kill me first.”

A sickly sweet smile wove its way over Euryale’s lips. “It would be my distinct pleasure.” She lunged for Sarah.

Before Sarah could react, Ludo let loose a shrill, gut-wrenching howl that forced Sarah cover her ears. Euryale halted, throwing her own hands to the sides of her face, screeching and writhing in pain.

“Ahh! Silence!” Euryale screamed. “Silence, you wretched beast!”

Ludo ignored her commands and continued to howl, his face tilted up towards the sky. Sarah watched him in bewilderment as the ground beneath her began to quake.

“What treachery is this?” Euryale shrieked as large, pointed rocks burst forth from the ground all around her. 

“No!” Euryale shrieked as she realized much too late what was happening. The rocks shot up around her quickly, coming together at the top to form a crude prison. Euryale reached for Sarah between the gaps of the rocks, clawing ferociously at the air. 

“Don’t let them escape!” Euryale screamed. “Kill the beast, bring me the girl!”

Sarah felt the hair on the back of her neck prick in fear as she heard the predatory howls of the Chimera who had been hiding behind a nearby wall. She didn’t need to see them to know they were already too close. 

“Run, Ludo!” Sarah yelled, grabbing the howling beast’s hand and taking off through the Labyrinth. This time, Ludo didn’t hesitate. He went with Sarah, faster than she ever thought the large beast could run.

“You cannot escape!” Euryale screamed after them. Sarah could barely hear the shrill threats of the Gorgon Queen over the ravenous pants and snarls of the Chimera as they broke into the clearing behind them. She risked a glance over her shoulder and saw at least six of the savage creatures chasing them. The sheer number of beasts alone was incentive enough to make her run faster than she’d ever run in her life.

Sarah’s rapid breaths rang hollowly in her ears and her heart thundered in her chest as she navigated the twists and turns of the Labyrinth. It was no longer a maze to her. The power she wielded over the Labyrinth had been fully awakened and amplified due to Jareth’s pendant. She knew where every corridor led and every secret the Labyrinth held.  

“Come on, Ludo. We’ll lose them in the bog of eternal stench!” Sarah panted.

“No!” Ludo wailed, struggling to keep up with Sarah through the dense vines which cluttered the passageway they turned into. “Smell! Smell bad!”

“I know,” Sarah gasped, short of breath as she tugged on the great beast. “But we don’t have a choice.”

“Oh,” Ludo moaned despondently, but continued to run with Sarah, knocking vines from his face.

Sarah burst from the passageway into a clearing filled with statues facing off against one another. Each statue held a large, deadly weapon. Sarah glanced at the ground and saw decorative, tiled squares, each depicting a different symbol on them. It reminded her of a giant chess set. She scrutinized the stone markers. 

“Step where I do, Ludo,” Sarah commanded, hearing the throaty growls of the Chimera close behind them. “Don’t touch any of the other stone tiles!”

“‘Kay,” Ludo panted agreeably.

Sarah began to hop from stone to stone, careful to follow her own advice and not touch the others. Ludo followed close behind her, teetering unsteadily as he tried to balance himself.

“Where is it? Where is it?” Sarah hissed to herself, quickly surveying the tiles. Ludo began to whine and tug insistently on Sarah’s hand. She looked up and saw a Chimera emerging from the vine filled passage. Without hesitation, it bounded straight for them. 

The Chimera struck a tile marker and Sarah could hear the grind of a stone statue as it flickered to life. The statue shot quickly across the tiles, positioning its spear directly in front of it and swiftly impaling the oblivious Chimera as it leapt through the air at Sarah and Ludo.

The Chimera let out a yelp of pain and surprise before slumping against the spear and twitching as the life left its body. Sarah let out a shaky breath, grabbing Ludo’s arm for support.

“That was close--” She breathed.

“Sarah! Sarah!” Ludo began to chant rapidly as the other statues started coming to life, advancing with swift and deadly intent towards them. 

“Oh, shit!” Sarah gasped, casting her eyes down to the tiles once more, desperately searching for the right one. “It’s over here. This way!” She yelled, pulling Ludo along with her.

They fled across the tiles, no longer concerned with stepping on the right ones. Sarah came to a screeching halt on top of a large stone marker. She looked to the rampaging, bloodthirsty statues and then to Ludo who cringed in terror.

“Hang on, Ludo,” Sarah shouted, raising her foot and stomping it three times against the decorative tile. The stone marker collapsed under them, sending Sarah and Ludo crashing down into an earthen tunnel. They rolled through the rough passage, the roots and rocks pulling at Sarah’s clothes and hair. Ludo’s howl of discontent echoed the entire way down. 

Suddenly, the tunnel disappeared and Sarah felt herself soar through the air. She landed solidly on her side, rolling dangerously close to the ravine edge that plunged down into the bog of eternal stench. The wind rushed out of her painfully on impact. She wheezed, clutching her ribs as she whimpered against the pain that flooded through her lungs and chest.

Her first breath was not the pleasant relief she had so desperately wanted. A foul stench that she had no earthly way of describing assaulted her senses. It reminded her of fetid, rotting fish mixed with sour, curdled milk, body odor and waste. Her eyes welled up and she found herself in a coughing fit as she crawled away from the edge. 

Ludo cascaded out of the hole, hitting the ground hard right beside her. 

“Ooooow!” Ludo moaned, sitting up and rubbing his backside vigorously.

“Ludo,” Sarah coughed weakly, reaching for him.

Ludo stood, reaching for Sarah when the ground beneath him made an ominous cracking sound. He looked at Sarah questioningly.

“Huh?” He muttered fearfully. 

“Ludo, move!” Sarah screamed as the ground crumbled away and sloshed into the bog.

“Argh!” Ludo cried, falling forward on his stomach. He reached desperately for Sarah.

“No!” Sarah shouted, jumping up and grabbing Ludo’s hand. She dug her heels into the crumbling ground, pulling Ludo back with all her might. 

The ground continued to collapse under his weight and he lost traction, his feet flailing over the fragmented edge high above the bog.

“Sarah save Ludo!” He whined pitifully, frantically grasping and scrambling against the deteriorating earth.

Sarah continued to pull Ludo, groaning with exertion as she did. Ludo finally placed a foot firmly on the edge of the ravine and with one final yank, he came soaring away from the bog, landing heavily on top of Sarah.

“Ludo, get off me!” Sarah gasped in pain and surprise, her plea muffled by the heavy beast. “I can’t breathe!”

Ludo quickly rolled off Sarah and she took in a deep breath only to be once again overwhelmed by a waft of noxious air. Sarah coughed, her lungs and chest burning. She yanked up the neck of her shirt over her nose and mouth to filter the smell of the bog. She fleetingly wondered if she’d been better off suffocating under Ludo. She rolled her backpack from her side and repositioned it quickly. She was rather grateful she’d gotten rid of the chest now or else it would have been imbedded in her back.

“Smell bad!” Ludo whined unhappily. “Smell worse!”

Before Sarah could agree with him, another desperate howl of displeasure stole her attention. A Chimera came careening out of the tunnel, thrashing and flailing wildly. It landed on the edge of the ravine next to them. 

The Chimera stood quickly, shaking itself and setting its eyes on Sarah and Ludo.

Sarah smirked at the creature, giving it a complacent wave. “Have a nice trip!”

Unphased by her taunt, the Chimera took a step towards Sarah and the precarious ground completely collapsed. The stunned Chimera stumbled, shooting Sarah a look of total bewilderment as it and the large chunk of earth toppled into the awaiting bog. 

The bog bubbled and churned as the Chimera splashed into it with a sickly sucking sound. The Chimera raged in fear as it struggled against the thick muck. Sarah watched in disgust, noticing that the bog acted like quicksand. The more the Chimera struggled, the faster the bog appeared to swallow the creature down. 

The Chimera’s pitiful whimpers soon became gurgled splashes as the bog overtook the creature completely. Sarah stepped back as she heard more howls emanate from the tunnel. Another Chimera soared through the air, but this time there was no solid ground for it to to land on. It flew past Sarah and Ludo, landing wetly in the bog. It thrashed violently, crying out with pitiful whimpers that threatened to break Sarah’s heart despite the murderous nature of the creatures. In a matter of seconds, the whines and cries disappeared only to be replaced by the incessant bubbling and churning of the bog. Sarah looked to the tunnel. The other Chimera were either too smart to follow their brethren to their doom or had been dispatched by the killer statues before making it to the tunnel which led to the bog of eternal stench. Either way, Sarah reasoned that she and Ludo were safe for the time being. 

She sighed in relief, collapsing into Ludo and embracing the large, friendly beast tightly. “See? I told you I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.” She  pulled away and cringed, quickly covering her mouth and nose again. Her stomach twisted and turned threateningly. She swore she could almost taste the foul air. 

“Sarah save Ludo!” Ludo purred happily. 

Sarah nodded, feeling slightly lightheaded due to the horrendous smell and the short shallow breaths she was taking. “Come on, let’s find the bridge.”

Ludo nodded in compliance, taking Sarah’s hand as they hurried along the edge of the ravine towards the bridge. She was pleasantly surprised to see that the bridge had been rebuilt upon the rocks Ludo had called for years ago. She gingerly placed a foot on the bridge and smiled at its sturdiness.

“Let’s get out of here!” Sarah said quickly, nearly bounding over the bridge in two steps. Ludo scampered after her, moving as fast as his big legs could carry him. She knew he wanted out of the bog as desperately as she did. However, Sarah could no longer synonymize the bog with a negative connotation for it had saved both their lives. And for that, she was grateful despite the wretched and foul odor.

Well, mostly grateful.


	19. I'll Spin You

Even though they’d left the bog far behind, the foul stench seemed to linger. Sarah couldn’t tell if it had completely permeated her clothes or if her very sinuses had been tainted by the hideous odor. She longed for the cool, cleansing waters of the fountain and wished she could swim in them again. 

“Where go?” Ludo asked, interrupting her thoughts. 

They’d been walking silently through the Labyrinth at a fast pace ever since leaving the bog and the doomed Chimera far behind. 

“We’re going to the fairy thicket,” Sarah explained, stooping under a low archway that stood between the maze walls. “Titania and the others are there waiting for us.”

“Ti-Titania?” Ludo asked skeptically, nearly having to crawl on his hands and knees to avoid thumping his head on the low entryway.

Sarah stopped and turned to him, realizing how confused he must be.

“Oh, right,” Sarah muttered. “Who we saw back there wasn’t Titania. That was Euryale. She’s the one who attacked the Labyrinth and took the Goblin King prisoner.”

“Hm, bad queen?” Ludo mumbled inquisitively. 

“That’s right,” Sarah agreed. “Very bad queen.”

Ludo pointed to the pendant which still hung exposed over her shirt. “Wanted that. Why?”

Sarah reached up, protectively grasping the pendant in her hand and nodded. “Yes, she wanted the pendant. I guess she thought if she looked like Titania that I would hand it over.” She hesitated, reliving the recent memory. “But I knew it was a trick.”

“How?” Ludo asked curiously. “How you know?”

Sarah rubbed her thumb absentmindedly over the curves of the pendant. “Because Titania never wanted the pendant. She told me she couldn’t use its power and therefore would never have asked me to give it to her. Plus, I knew she’d never leave the fairy thicket like that. At least, not without the others. But there was something else.” Sarah continued to rub the pendant, her brow creasing thoughtfully. “I can’t explain it, but she didn’t feel like the Titania I knew. She wasn’t warm or welcoming. Her smile was forced, almost sinister.” Sarah shuddered as the image of Euryale ripping through what appeared to be Titania’s skin seeped back into her mind.

“Titania safe?” Ludo inquired.

Sarah felt a cold chill rush over her as she gaped at Ludo. The thought hadn’t occurred to her that Euryale may have  _ actually  _ been wearing Titania’s skin.

_ Could Euryale have possibly found the fairy thicket and captured everyone? _ Sarah wondered, panic stricken.  _ How else would she have known about Titania? Did Euryale actually take her skin and try to trick me? _

Sarah let out a wavered breath, her body shaking with anxious chills.

_ No,  _  she reasoned slowly.  _ Euryale has spies everywhere. She could’ve known about Titania the whole time. She’s ruthless. She would do anything to tip the scale to her advantage. _

“Sarah?” Ludo inquired softly, liberating her from her dark thoughts. 

Sarah cleared her throat, trying to hide the disquiet which now flowed rampantly through her. “I’m sure she’s fine, Ludo. We just have to get back to her and the others.”

“Okay,” Ludo hummed agreeably, resuming his pace behind Sarah.

They hadn’t gone far when Ludo stopped, tilting his head to one side curiously.

“Wait,” he motioned for Sarah to stop.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, a slight edge of trepidation to her voice.

“Hear something,” Ludo muttered lowly.

Sarah instantly became alert, her wide eyes darting frantically about their surroundings. “Where?” 

“Hm, this way,” Ludo mumbled, turning around and heading in the opposite direction.

“Ludo! Don’t go that way!” Sarah hissed. “We can’t outrun the Chimera. We need a plan!”

“Not beasts,” Ludo called to Sarah. “Goblins.”

Sarah blinked, the announcement catching her off guard. “What? You hear  _ goblins _ ?”

Ludo nodded fervently, continuing to walk away from Sarah. She scoffed in surprise, jogging lightly to catch up to him. 

“Hear them?” Ludo asked, his head still slightly tilted.

Sarah held her breath and strained her ears in an effort to hear what Ludo heard, but was unable to discern anything other than the happy buzzing of various insects and the leaves which rustled softly in the gentle breeze. 

“I don’t see or hear anything,” Sarah complained as she followed the great orange beast.

“Close now,” Ludo replied. “Can smell them.”

“You can smell them, too?” Sarah asked in disbelief.

Ludo nodded. “Goblins smell bad.”

“You don’t smell like a basket of roses yerself, beastie!” A shrill voice rang out sharply.

Sarah yelped as three goblins burst from the hedges, advancing at her and Ludo with their crude, but effective nipper sticks. 

“Get away from me!” Sarah yelled, kicking the stick as hard as she could, sending the goblin holding it spinning around in a semi circle. 

Ludo growled, swiping at another goblin’s nipper stick. The goblin shrieked as Ludo made contact, dislodging the weapon from the goblin’s hand and sending it flying down the path.  

The third goblin advanced, sinking his nipper stick into Ludo’s leg. Ludo let out a howl of pain and fury.

“Knock it off!” Sarah yelled, sliding her backpack off her shoulder and heaving it as hard as she could into the goblin which had attacked Ludo.

“Ow!” The goblin whined, releasing his nipper stick. Sarah dove for the stick, picking it up and keeping it defensively in front of her. 

“Well, this was a great idea,” she grumbled, glancing with disgust at the perpetually gnawing creature attached to the end of the stick. “What now, Ludo?”

“I-unno!” Ludo babbled, swiping fiercely at the goblin Sarah had kicked. The goblin ducked, avoiding Ludo’s strike easily, shouting derisive comments in retaliation.

“Attack!” The defenseless goblin commanded, rushing at Sarah in an attempt to recover his weapon. 

Sarah stabbed the stick at him in reply to his outburst. The goblin screamed in pain as the nipper did its job and latched onto his arm. The goblin struggled against the wrinkly nipper’s death grip, but was unable to liberate himself. 

Sarah took the opportunity to raise the nipper stick she held up high, hoisting the flailing goblin the nipper was still attached to along with it. She shook the stick hard, rattling the goblin before swinging it with all her might and sending the goblin flying over the hedges into a nearby wall. The goblin’s armor rang dully as it struck the stone wall and he slumped heavily to the ground behind the bushes.

Sarah turned panting to Ludo, barely able to warn him in time about the goblin who rushed at him. “Ludo, look out!”

Ludo turned, quickly bringing his first down on top of the attacking goblin’s head. The goblin sunk to his knees and then collapsed onto his back, out cold.  

Sarah and Ludo turned to look at the last goblin. He quaked in his tattered armor as he appraised them both. Sarah readied her nipper stick, advancing menacingly at the lone goblin.

“Retreat!” The goblin cried, running down the path and tripping over an upended stone in his franticness to flee. He scuttled away on his hands and knees until he was out of sight.

Sarah shook her head and looked to Ludo who panted good naturedly, happy with the outcome of the short battle. Sarah discarded her nipper stick in the nearby hedges, not trusting the vile little creature which continued to chatter hungrily not to try to attack her as well. She bent down to retrieve her backpack when she heard the stirrings of the goblin Ludo had subdued.

“Oh, me aching head,” the downed goblin complained, running his hands over his face. Ludo placed a foot gently over the goblin, locking him in place and peering down intimidatingly at him. 

The goblin opened his eyes and peered through his fingers. He let out a small, frightened yelp as he saw the giant orange beast staring down at him. He struggled feebly under Ludo’s weight.

“Don’t eat me, beastie!” He whimpered. “I’m stringy, no good meat on these old bones!”

Ludo looked at Sarah and shrugged as if to say he never intended on eating the goblin, but it wasn’t out of the question. Sarah snickered at the thought, kneeling next to the fallen goblin.

The goblin relaxed measurably when he saw Sarah. “Oh, why hello, lass. Do you, uh, know this beastie?”

“Yes,” Sarah answered softly. “He’s my friend.”

“Aye, quite the friend ya got there,” the goblin replied, eyeing Ludo fearfully. “He looks hungry.”

“Well, it’s been quite sometime since either of us have eaten,” Sarah remarked casually. 

The goblin’s eyes widened considerably. “Oh, has it now?”

Sarah nodded, sucking in a breath through her teeth. “Yes, quite sometime. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep him at bay.”

“Hm?” Ludo looked at Sarah inquisitively. Sarah shook her head slightly, hoping Ludo would play along with her ruse.

“Uh, I-er-I,” Sarah could hear the goblin swallow hard. “That don’t bode well for me, I take it?”

“No, not really,” Sarah clicked her tongue. “But if you were to tell me what I want to know, I might be able to persuade him to let you go.” 

“Anything!” The goblin shouted vehemently. “I’ll tell ye anything you want to know!”

“Why did you attack us?” Sarah asked bluntly.

The goblin blinked in shock, as if she’d asked the most ludicrous question in the world. “Have ya looked around here, lass? Beasties ‘round every corner and no master to help us. We attack everything that ain’t us.”

“How many are you?” Sarah inquired.

The goblin scrutinized her closely, his large bushy eyebrows knitting together in distrust. “Why ya wantin’ to know?”

Sarah leaned in close to the goblin, dropping her voice low, no longer in the mood for games. “Because while you cowards hide away, the Goblin King is being ruthlessly tortured and tormented by the Gorgon Queen.”

The goblin jerked suddenly, wriggling quickly out from under Ludo’s foot, causing Sarah to reel back in surprise. Ludo stumbled, but regained his balance, looking at the goblin with bewilderment.

“The master? He’s alive?” The goblin inquired, wonder and hope gleaming in the depths of his eyes.

Sarah’s initial contempt for the goblin melted away as she realized that only a few knew of Jareth’s true fate. All the others, including Hoggle, thought he’d been turned to stone when Euryale laid claim to the castle beyond the Goblin City.  

“Yes, and time’s running out. We have to save him,” Sarah implored. “I need your help in order to rescue him. Now, please tell me, how many goblins are with you?”

The goblin’s good spirits seemed to dissipate and his eyes shone lacklusterly. He kicked the ground shyly. “Well-er- I can’t rightfully say, lass.”

“Why not?” Sarah demanded, feeling her impatience rise hotly. “Are you really so selfish that you’d rather run and hide instead of helping me take back the Labyrinth and save the Goblin King?” She felt a sneer of disgust form judgmentally on her lips. “What’s wrong with you?”

“No, no, no! It’s not that,” the goblin stammered nervously. “It’s not that at all! It’s just, well, I don’t know how to count, lass.”

Sarah felt her impatience grind to a screeching halt and plummet into a pit of guilt and sympathy. 

“Oh, I-I’m sorry,” she murmured, completely abashed. She shook her head, ashamed with her horrible attitude and manners.  She decided to take a different approach with the goblin.

“What’s your name?” Sarah asked softly.

The goblin gaped at her. He appeared shocked that she would care enough to inquire about his name. 

“Me name’s Grub,” he answered after a moment.

Sarah gave the goblin a gentle smile. “Hello, Grub. I’m Sarah and you’ve already met Ludo.”

Ludo gave Grub a small, friendly wave.

Grub’s eyes widened. “Sarah? No, not  _ the  _ Sarah?” He asked. “The master’s Sarah?”

Sarah nodded solemnly, trying unsuccessfully not to roll her eyes. “Yeah, that would be me.”

“But you left!” Grub exclaimed. “You bewitched him and then broke his magic!”

Sarah sighed unhappily. “Yes, yes, I know, I caused all of this, blah blah blah,” she blathered in annoyance. She really didn’t have the time or the patience to explain herself. “Look, I know I messed up and that the Labyrinth is in this state of chaos because of me. That doesn’t change the fact that I want to set things right. I want to save the Labyrinth and the Goblin King, but I need your help to defeat Gorgon Queen and her Chimera.”

“My help?” Grub insisted in disbelief.

“Yes,” Sarah pressed. “You and your friends. I have a plan to--”

“Oh, sure, a plan!” Grub interrupted, throwing his stubby arms up in the air. “Like it’s that simple!” He paced for a moment, rubbing his pig like nose. “Ya know what the Gorgon Queen does when she catches you, don’t ya? She turns you to stone! How do ya propose to get around that little obstacle, lass?”

“By using this,” Sarah explained, lifting Jareth’s pendant up for the goblin to see.

Grub gasped, pointing at her with a trembling finger. “You’ve got the master’s pendant!”

“Yes, I do,” Sarah replied in exasperation. “This makes me immune to Euryale’s power. Now, I have a plan, but again, I need help. Are you with me or not?”

Grub narrowed his eyes at Sarah and then at Ludo. “If you can promise beastie here won’t eat me, I’ll bring ya to our camp.”

“He won’t harm you,” Sarah assured, patting Ludo on the hand. Ludo nodded in reply, giving Grub a gummy smile. Sarah shook her head slowly and Ludo seemed to understand, closing his mouth quickly.

“Right,” Grub muttered anxiously. “Follow me.”

The lithe little goblin scampered off down the path, following the same route his fleeing comrade had taken. 

“Come on, Ludo,” Sarah called, quickly running after Grub. She didn’t entirely trust the goblin not to try and ditch them.

“Okay!” Ludo rumbled, bounding heavily behind her.

Sarah watched as Grub swiftly ran through the vines and the overgrowth of the Labyrinth. It seemed Sarah’s influence on the Labyrinth was taking quite the effect. The foliage proved difficult for Ludo to navigate, but with sheer brute strength, he was able to rip through the obstacles which slowed him down.

“How far is it?” Sarah panted, a stitch of pain forming in her side. She pressed her hand tightly against her ribs, willing herself to keep moving.

“Not far now!” Grub shouted. “Just past them pillars, lass.”

_ Oh, thank God, _ Sarah thought.  _ Much further and my lungs are going to burst out of my chest. _

After what seemed like an eternity of hearing her own shallow breaths rasp in her ear, they entered a stone glade which reminded Sarah of an old picnic area.

“Here we are!” Grub announced. “Home sweet home.”

Sarah bent forward, resting her elbows on her knees and concentrated on taking in deep, ragged breaths. She wasn’t used to running that hard or that fast unless something was chasing her. She hadn’t realized how much the adrenaline had helped propel her forward in those situations. 

“Halt!” A small goblin commanded as he leapt out from behind a pillar. He shook his nipper stick, his small stature making him appear less intimidating and more laughable. “Who goes there?”

“Toot, it’s me!” Grub barked defensively, throwing his hands up in the air. 

Toot held the nipper stick tightly, eyeing Sarah and Ludo. “Who’s she? And what in the singing saints is that beastie?”

Ludo gave a friendly wave to Toot. “Hello!”

“Egads! It speaks!” Toot yelped, trembling behind his weapon.

Grub looked to Sarah, his hands still in the air. “Calm down, Toot. They’re friends, they are. She’s come to save the Labyrinth and return our master to the throne!”

Toot stared at Grub for a moment before breaking down into a spurt of laughter. “Says who? Them?” He sputtered. “The master’s dead. Why you trutsin’ them likes? This a joke?”

Sarah was still breathing hard, but had caught enough of her breath to speak. She stood up straight, grasping the pendant again so that Toot could see. “Does this look like I’m joking?”

Toot stopped mid-laugh, staring wide eyed and shocked at the pendant Sarah brandished.

“Where you get that?” Toot demanded. “You ain’t supposed to have that! The master’d gone n’ hid it!”

“I know,” Sarah griped impatiently. “Listen, I have gone to hell and back to find this pendant and I am going to use it to rescue the Goblin King with or without your help.” Sarah narrowed her eyes at Toot. “But be warned, when I do rescue Jareth, how do you think he’ll react when I tell him that his goblins sat idly by while he was being tortured by the Gorgon Queen?”

Toot fidgeted nervously. “Uh, well can’t imagine he bein’ happy ‘bout it.”

“The lass makes a strong point, Toot,” Grub encouraged. “We don’t wanna incur the master’s wrath.”

Toot sighed unhappily, looking between the trio before resigning and lowering the nipper stick. “Sure, sure,” he grumbled. “Ugh, follow me then.”

“Come along,” Grub prattled, looking excited by the prospect of being home. “You look a wee bit famished, lass. ‘Course, you mentioned somethin’ about not havin’ a proper meal. Let’s get you and beastie there somethin’ to eat.”

Sarah followed closely behind Toot and Grub, her stomach rumbling at the mention of food. The last time she’d eaten had been in Batson’s home. She shook her head at the realization. It seemed like such a long time ago.

Laughter and chatter soon filled the air and Sarah gawked in amazement at the goblin camp. She counted nearly sixty goblins congregating around various fires, laughing, drinking and eating what appeared to be chicken.

“Ahem! We gots visitors.” Toot announced loudly, disrupting the merriment. The goblins turned and were stricken into a stunned silence when they saw Sarah and Ludo.

One goblin shrieked in fear and dove under a pile of heavy sacks. Sarah recognized him as the goblin who had fled from them.

“Who brought ‘em here?” One goblin shouted, ripping off a big mouthful of chicken meat.

“I did,” Grub answered indignantly. 

“Traitor!” A female goblin derided.

“Yeah!” A few goblins jeered.

“Cook ‘im!” A fat goblin hollered.

Before Sarah knew it, the discontent from the goblin camp began to grow, the sheer volume of ridicule and restlessness drowning out all logic and reason. The ruckus was enough to give her a splitting headache.

“Alright! Enough already!” Sarah screamed as loudly as she could. Her shouts were drowned out and unnoticed by the rambunctious crowd. She looked at Ludo despairingly. 

“ARRGH-HOOOO!” Ludo howled, causing all the goblins to silence immediately, freezing them in a concoction of bafflement and fear. One goblin had masticated food spill sloppily out of its mouth as he stared in concern at Ludo.  

Sarah sighed gratefully. “Thank you, Ludo.” She turned to the crowd. “Listen to me and listen well. Your master, the Goblin King, lives.”

A quiet, restless chatter began to disseminate down through the goblins. 

“He lives?” An old goblin clucked.

“The master ain’t dead?” A short goblin with tusks inquired.

“She lies!” Another goblin with a rat-like face accused. 

“You gonna eat that?” A rather plump goblin asked his friend while reaching for his plate.

“Hey!” Sarah yelled, clapping her hands together in an effort to gain their waning attention. “Your master needs help! Our help! I plan to take back the castle from the Gorgon Queen and end her reign of terror.”

“Then what?” A scrawny goblin inquired.

“What do you think?” Sarah asked, her tone leaden with exasperation. “Then we’ll rescue the Goblin King and things will be back to the way they were.”

“How do you know the master’s alive?” A grey haired goblin asked.

“Because I’ve seen him,” Sarah answered. “I’ve held him in my arms.”

“Why we believin’ you?” The rat faced goblin jeered. “What makes you so special?”

Sarah clenched her fists tightly at her sides, striving to control the anger that swept through her.

“The master ain’t dead!” Grub interjected before Sarah could contest the rat goblin. “Listen to the lass! She wears master’s pendant.”

The goblins silenced once more and gazed expectantly at Sarah.

“Go on,” Grub urged. “Show ‘em.”

Sarah reached around her neck, pulling the pendant off and holding it up high for all the goblins to see.

“She-she’s got the power?” The goblin hiding under the sacks asked, slowly climbing out.

“Ye got the power,” an old withered goblin hunkered forward. “But have ye gotta name?”

“I’m Sarah,” Sarah announced loudly.

The goblins tittered and chattered amongst themselves once again.

“Nah, it can’t be!” The rat goblin exclaimed.

“She’s Sarah?” A robust goblin asked. “ _ The _ Sarah?”

“Aye,” Grub nodded solemnly. “That she is.”

“So what?” The rat like goblin admonished, “We really want to follow the likes of her? She betrayed our master’s love and look where it got ‘im!” The goblin sneered at Sarah. “I say we run her out. We don’t need her here. She’s nothin’ but trouble.”

Sarah glared at the goblin, lowering the pendant back around her neck. “So help me, I will cast you into the bog of eternal stench if you continue to oppose me!”

The rat like goblin snapped his mouth shut quickly, unnerved by the threat. 

Grub chuckled. “The lass even sounds like the master.”

The other goblins began to cackle, breaking the tension of the moment. Grub turned to Sarah and surprised her by taking a knee. “I’lll follow ya, lass.”

“Same goes for I!” Toot declared, taking a knee as well. Sarah looked over to Ludo who shrugged at the display.

“Thank you,” Sarah said, genuinely grateful for their fealty. She turned back to the group of goblins. “Who else is with me?”

“I am!” The robust goblin announced.

“Me, too!” The cowering goblin shouted, flinging the sacks off him.

“Here!” Several other goblins announced, taking a knee just as Grub and Toot had to show their allegiance to Sarah. She watched as all the other goblins followed suit with their brethren, leaving all but one hold out. The rat faced goblin glared up at her.

“Well?” Sarah asked. “What say you?”

“Would you really throw me into the bog of eternal stench?” The goblin asked fearfully.

“Without hesitation,” Sarah answered with no inflection in her voice. “Or you can deal with Jareth’s wrath after we rescue him,” she added smugly. “Your call.”

The rat like goblin sighed, reluctantly falling to his knee. “I guess I ain’t got much choice. I’ll follow you.”

“Good,” Sarah remarked. “Get your gear ready and prepare to move out. We head to the fairy thicket before nightfall.”

The goblins began to chatter amongst themselves, picking up strewn pieces of armor and weapons that lay discarded about the camp.

Grub clapped his hands together and rubbed them fervently. “Sounds like a solid plan, lass, but let’s get you both somethin’ to eat and drink before we set off,” he offered accommodatingly.

Sarah sighed impatiently, wanting nothing more than to get to the fairy thicket before it got too dark. However, she allowed Toot and Grub to usher her and Ludo into the camp. Sarah sat by the fire and was surprised when the goblins brought her a plate heaping with chicken meat and roasted potatoes. The pungent aroma caused her stomach to gurgle with anticipation.

“There ya go, dear,” the robust goblin remarked. “Eat up now. Can’t go off into a battle on an empty stomach!”

“Thank you,” Sarah remarked appreciatively, picking up a piece of steaming chicken and blowing on it before popping it into her mouth. She groaned happily, the juicy and tender meat quelling her ravenous appetite. Ludo sat beside her and panted happily as the goblins brought him a whole roasted chicken and a barrel of mead.

Grub offered Sarah a tankard and she took it reluctantly. She smelled the brew, throwing a worried glance at Ludo who tipped his barrel up high, allowing mead to slovenly slosh and spill into his mouth.

“Guess there’s a first time for everything,” Sarah mumbled, taking a small sip of the mead. She was pleasantly surprised to find it was not bitter as she had expected. It was light, crisp and just mildly sweet. It went with her meal perfectly. She set the tankard down and began popping the small potatoes in her mouth, enjoying the savory herbs they had been spiced with.

Grub sat beside her, a tankard in his hand and a chicken leg in the other. “Now that we’re settled, can I ask ya some things, lass?”

Sarah nodded, swallowing with effort. She reminded herself to slow down and take smaller bites before she choked to death.

“You say you gotta plan and I accepts that. But how do you intend to battle the queenie’s beasties?” He asked.

“I have a plan for that, too,” Sarah answered between bites. “It relies heavily on Titania and her fairies. As it turns out, fairy blood is highly poisonous to the Chimera.”

“Whoa,” Grub reeled back in surprise. “That’s a mighty fine thing to know!”

“Depending on the weapons and resources we have, I figured we’d attack by the castle gates and push our way through into the courtyard and to the castle doors,” Sarah explained.

“Why not just take a small group in through the secret entrance while the others create a diversion?” Grub asked.

Sarah dropped her potato to the plate. “There’s a secret entrance?” She asked, flabbergasted.

“Oh, aye!” Grub answered, taking a swig of mead. “It’s hidden in the far wall. Unless you know where it is, you ain’t finding it.”

“And I suppose you know where it is?” Sarah inquired knowingly.

“That I do, lass,” Grub said with a wink. “That I do.”

“Good,” Sarah remarked, retrieving the discarded potato and popping it into her mouth.  “That’ll be a great asset. Thank you, Grub.”

“No worries, lass.” Grub bounced his tankard on his leg, appearing as if he wanted to ask Sarah something else.

“What’s on your mind, Grub?” Sarah encouraged.

Grub waved his hand dismissively, battling with himself. “Ah, it’s nothin’, but I am just a tad curious, lass. What’re you gonna do when you find the master?”

Sarah chewed thoughtfully. “I’m going to save him from Euryale and give him back his throne.”

“Yes, of course,” Grub replied emphatically, letting Sarah know she had evaded his inquiry. “But then what? What’re  _ you  _ gonna do after that, lass? You and the master?”

Sarah swallowed hard, her throat suddenly bone dry. She reached for her mead and took a long, drawn out drink as the question resounded over and over again in her mind.

_ Yes, what am I going to do? _

She truly didn’t have the answer.


	20. Within Your Eyes

Sarah had many reservations about leading a large band of boisterous goblins through the Labyrinth to the fairy thicket. However, her concerns were assuaged when she saw the familiar overgrowth of the thicket and she felt a sigh of relief heave from her chest. She was amazed at how well the rowdy goblins had taken orders from her. She wondered if it was out of respect or a healthy dose of fear, threats of the bog, and Ludo, who they had seen down three whole cooked chickens in one swallow. Sarah was not proud to admit that she’d actually enjoyed the sheer look of terror on the goblin’s faces as they watched Ludo eat. Since then, they had all been well behaved, even the rat faced goblin. 

_ Or at least, well behaved by goblin standards _ , Sarah thought to herself.

She knew she would’ve been asking for the moon had she wanted them to be timid, polite and graceful instead of rambunctious, rude, and surprisingly flatulent. Sarah was just grateful she was not downwind from them. She now understood how Ludo had been able to smell them so easily.

“We’re here, Ludo!” Sarah beamed happily, gazing into the thick, luscious green undergrowth of the thicket which was so dense that it seemed impenetrable. “We made it.”

Sarah clasped her hands together as nervous excitement flooded over her. She hoped Titania remained protected beyond the thicket walls and that Hoggle, Sir Didymus and Ambrosius had made it back to her safely.

“There?” Ludo asked, pointing to the dense foliage. Sarah nodded enthusiastically to the great orange beast before turning her attention to the clamoring goblins. 

“Wait here for me,” she commanded. “Grub, Toot, I leave you both in charge. Rest up and prepare  for battle. As soon as I meet with Titania, we will be launch an assault against the Gorgon Queen and her minions.” Sarah bit her lip anxiously. “Then, we will liberate the Goblin King.”

“I know you got yerself a plan there, lass, and I mean no offense,” Grub began. “But we were no match for them beasties last time. What makes you think we can fight ‘em this time?” 

Sarah sank to her knees so that she was eye level with Grub. His concerns were valid and she understood that the goblins must have numerous trepidations. 

“Don’t worry,” she soothed. “We have an army now and the support of the Fairy Queen at our backs.”

“You sure that’s enough, lass?” Grub asked. “Us and fairies against them creatures?”

“I have a little trick up my sleeve,” Sarah replied with a wink. “I also command the loyalty of the Fireys.”

A bunch of goblins gasped in unison. “Fireys?!”

“They be crazy!” Toot echoed, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Ain’t no one controlling the Fireys!” A large headed goblin squawked.

“Well, I do,” Sarah said in a low, measured tone. She let her gaze drift over the goblin crowd and she met their questioning eyes. “The Fireys will follow my lead. They have a reason to fight just like you. The Gorgon Queen killed their leader and they seek to avenge him. Just as you seek reparation and vengeance of your own.” 

“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” A long, stringy haired goblin with beady black eyes asked. “You could be leading us into a trap!”

Several goblins murmured in agreement, causing a ruckus of doubt to break through the crowd. Sarah shook her head ruefully.

“Ludo, calm them down, please,” she whispered.

Ludo raised his head high and let out a long, shrill howl that effectively silenced the tittering goblins. Sarah stood, glaring down at the beady eyed naysayer. The goblin cowered under her scrutiny.

“Look around you,” Sarah commanded, gesturing widely with her arm for all to see. “Order to the Labyrinth is being restored. This is my influence. My magic is bringing the Labyrinth back to life. I am descended from the Keeper bloodline and this Labyrinth is as much home to me as it is to you. I would do anything to protect this place and all who reside within its walls.” Her expression softened. “Even you. Now, you can either join with me and fight to save this place, fight to save your home and your King, or you can oppose me; running and hiding like cowards. But know this,” Sarah’s tone became stern and menacing. “If you run now, I will not rest until I find you. Then, when I do find you, which I will, I won’t be your biggest problem.”

“Wha-what will be?” The goblin asked timidly. 

Sarah inclined her head to Ludo. “Him.”

Ludo panted, stomping his feet happily like a dog ready to give chase. The goblins cringed in fear.  

Sarah turned her attention away from the goblin crowd, sidling up to Grub. She placed a trusting hand on his shoulder. “I’m counting on you.”

“You’ll not be disappointed, lass,” Grub said proudly, puffing out his chest. “I’ll make sure this rabble is ready.”

“Thank you,” Sarah said gratefully. She turned to Ludo. “Are you ready, big guy?”

“Ludo follow Sarah,” he hummed softly, extending his large hand to her. Sarah accepted his hand, turning her attention to the dense thicket wall. 

“Alright, you mead swilling maggots, let’s gear up for battle. We have a master to save!” Grub announced. “Toot, arm ‘em. Let’s show them beasties not to mess with Goblins!”

“Right ya are!” Toot agreed. “Come on, then, look alive! We gotta a King to save!”

Sarah smiled softly, pleased with the results. She lifted her free hand to the dense growth. “Open.”

The thick brambles began to shudder and weave, groaning and cracking as they twisted out of the way, revealing a hidden path into the thicket. Murmurs of awe and wonderment tore through the group of Goblins as they witnessed the Labyrinth bending to Sarah’s will. She gave Ludo’s hand a slight squeeze, looking to the giant beast at her side. 

He nodded resolutely. “Ready.”

Sarah pulled in a deep breath. “Me, too.”

They stepped inside, following the freshly exposed path through the denseness of the grove. As they progressed, the brambles began to knit closed behind them, leaving the dumbstruck goblins to whisper amongst themselves as Sarah and Ludo disappeared into the depths of the thicket.

 

* * *

 

“Pretty!” Ludo exclaimed, gazing up in wonder at the myriads of fairies that tittered and floated in the sky above, pointing at them with equal admiration and joy.

“Yes, they are,” Sarah gasped, amazed by the sheer number of fairies and the rainbow spectrum of color the waning sun became as it filtered down through their crystalline wings. Sarah continued to gawk at the thicket and their surroundings. It had changed so much since her last visit. White and pink flower petals appeared magically in the air, floating and listing beautifully, as if suspended on a silent wind. The trees had grown luminous, almost glowing with a phosphoric presence, their limbs garnished with glorious white cotton blooms. The soft grass beneath Sarah’s feet had grown tall and vibrant, brushing rhythmically against her jeans. Even the air felt different inside the thicket. It seemed to almost caress Sarah’s skin, wrapping around her softly like a silken scarf.   

The fairy thicket had become a hidden paradise.

“I never knew it was this beautiful,” Sarah murmured in astonishment.

“It has not been this way for a very long time,” Titania’s voice floated over to Sarah. “I have you to thank for its rejuvenation.”

Sarah turned quickly to the sound of Titania’s voice. The Fairy Queen stood at the edge of the coppice Sarah had awoken in. Her blue eyes shone brightly with tears of gratitude.

A broad smile of relief and joy crested over Sarah’s lips. “Titania!” 

She found herself bounding over to the Fairy Queen, wrapping her arms around the petite, fragile creature. Immense relief coursed through Sarah. Euryale’s trick had been nothing more than a ruse after all. 

Titania ardently returned Sarah’s embrace, chuckling softly in her ear. “It is good you safe and returned, my friend.”

Sarah held tightly to Titania, straining against her emotions, fearing that if she were to release the Fairy Queen, she might lose her to some unseen, pernicious force. She hadn’t wanted to admit it, but she had been terribly worried about Titania’s well being. 

“Is everything alright, my dear?” Titania inquired, pulling away from her gently, reaching out a delicate hand to smooth Sarah’s hair behind her ear.  

Sarah took in a quavering breath and nodded. “Yes, everything’s fine. I was just so worried about you?”

“Worried for me?” Titania inquired, clearly confused. “I was not the one in danger. It is you I have feared for.”

Sarah gripped Titania’s hand, looking into her large eyes. She saw nothing but friendship and undiluted care reflected from the bright blue depths. How Euryale could’ve ever hoped to mimic such genuine affection was beyond Sarah. 

“Euryale tried to impersonate you,” Sarah began, rushing through her words as they spewed from her like an enraged geyser. “I knew it was a trick, but I was afraid something had happened to you. I was afraid that she’d somehow gotten to you and…and...” The words cut off as the pain of them was too much to acknowledge.

Titania smiled sweetly at Sarah. “There is no need to fret for I am safe and well.”

Immeasurable relief washed through Sarah and she felt herself slip from her anxious, jittery state into a calm relaxation. Even though she could see Titania and feel her delicate hand wrapped up in her own, she still had massive doubts and fears which she had buried down deep inside of her. It wasn’t until she heard Titania’s reassurances that she was able to release those pent up emotions and let them go. 

“And my friends?” Sarah asked, a tremor on the edge of her voice. “Are they okay?”

Titania stroked her hand soothingly. “Yes, they arrived a short while ago.” Her eyes twinkled, unnaturally bright, but beautiful. “I believe they had more difficulty navigating the Labyrinth than you do now.” Titania reached out to Sarah and gently traced her fingers over the pendant that rested on Sarah’s chest. “You have come to discover your true power and your true role. The Guardian must have been pleased to see you.”

Sarah gaped at Titania, baffled. “How did you know about the Guardian?”

“There are tales, rumors, secrets that the Keepers left behind,” Titania riddled, a sly smile crossing over her youthful face. “I know of the Keeper history and I have seen in you the glory and future of the Labyrinth.”

Sarah blushed. “You place a lot of faith in me.”

“I know you will succeed,” Titania said resolutely. “You will not abandon us or your fate.”

Sarah sighed. “How much do you see? Is there anything you don’t know?”

“I see a great deal without seeing or knowing all,” Titania answered. “I cannot predict the outcome of this endeavor, but I have what you call faith.”

“Faith,” Sarah murmured, the word sounding like the fevered dream of a hopeless romantic. It occurred to her that battles were fought and won based upon much less. She hoped she was worthy of such loyalty.

For the first time since she arrived, Titania’s gaze shifted from Sarah to Ludo who had hung back shyly. “Forgive my singular indulgence at your return. I have excluded this sweet creature from a proper welcome.”

Sarah turned and appraised Ludo. He remained far back, eyeing Titania suspiciously. “Ludo, don’t be afraid. Come on.” She held out her hand to the great beast.

Ludo reluctantly shuffled towards Sarah, taking her hand quickly and gazing down at the Fairy Queen nervously.

“Hello, Ludo,” Titania acknowledged sweetly.

“Hmm, hi,” Ludo mumbled, averting his eyes from the Fairy Queen.  

“I thank you for escorting Sarah through the perils of the Labyrinth and returning her to us. You are truly a friend to her and to me as well.” Titania reached out and stroked Ludo’s arm in an affable gesture.

Ludo’s shyness evaporated and he gave Titania a gummy smile. “Ludo, friend!”

Titania smiled sweetly, pleased with the reaction. “He is such a wonderfully sweet beast,” she remarked. “You choose your companions well, Sarah.”

Sarah grinned up at Ludo, snuggling against him in an affectionate embrace. 

“Come,” Titania said gently, extending her hand to the path that began to appear through the tangle of branches and vine. “Your other friends are eager to see you and we must prepare for the impending battle. Thanks to your travels, our resources have grown.”

“You know about the goblins already?” Sarah asked surprised as she and Ludo followed the Fairy Queen through the newly formed paths. 

Titania tilted her head inquisitively. “Goblins? Well, that is a happy coincidence.”

Sarah stopped. “Wait, so you didn’t know about the goblins?”

Titania shook her head. “No, my fairies have had limited access outside the thicket since we began preparing for battle. My reach is not what it used to be.”

Sarah was confused. “Well, if not the goblins, then what?”

“I was referring to your little blue worm friend, Batson.” Titania resumed her pace through the fluctuating overgrowth

Sarah blinked in surprise, joyful delight spreading through her. “Batson? He’s here?”

“Yes,” Titania answered. “He has spoken to many of his worm friends who have agreed to aid us from underground in the pending battle.”

“That’s fantastic!” Sarah gushed. “And what of the Fireys?”

Titania hesitated, visibly cringing at the mention of the creatures. She threw a sheepish glance over her shoulder at Sarah. “Ah, yes, the Fireys. They should be well rested and ready for battle.” Titania’s voice dropped to a whisper. “As soon as I awaken them.”

“What?” Sarah asked, barely registering Titania’s words. “Awaken them? What do you mean?”

Titania quickened her pace. “It is not as if I wanted to enchant them,” she explained quickly. “They forced my hand! They were loud, unruly and rambunctious. They had not a care for order or compliance!”

“So you put them to sleep?” Sarah asked shrilly, striving to keep the amusement from her voice.

Titania stopped and shrugged. “They left me no choice. They were singing incessantly, tossing limbs about in a never ending grotesque game.” She sighed. “‘Twas only a small spell. It was best for all, I assure you.”

Sarah finally let out a bark of laughter. “Oh, I’m sure!” She remembered how badly she had wanted to send the wild bunch to the bog and she had only spent a few minutes with them. She couldn’t blame Titania for bewitching them. 

“Besides,” Titania said, validating her logic to enchant the Fireys. “Reunions should be sweet and uninterrupted.” She stepped aside and Sarah could see Ambrosius, Sir Didymus and Hoggle standing in the clearing, stacking reeds and thorns.

“Hoggle! Sir Didymus!” Sarah exclaimed, racing towards them with a huge smile on her face.

Hoggle turned, gazing uncomprehendingly for a moment at Sarah as she bounded towards them.

“Sarah?” He gasped, dropping a handful of reeds and hobbling quickly to meet her.

“Milady!” Sir Didymus cried, flinging himself forward and losing his hat in the process as he, too, scrambled toward Sarah.

Sarah dropped to her knees and her two friends collided into her open arms. She scooped them into her, embracing them tightly.

“You’re safe!” Hoggle wept, his voice shredded by the presence of tears. “We was so worried!”

“I told you she would conquer the task,” Sir Didymus contended, wiping away his own tears. “I had the utmost faith in you, fair maiden.” 

Ambrosius ambled over slowly and licked Sarah’s hand. She ruffled his head and scratched behind his ear.

“I missed you guys so much,” Sarah said, her voice thick with emotion. “I’m so glad you’re safe.”

“As are we glad for your safety, fair maiden. As are--Brother Ludo?” Sir Didymus gasped over Sarah’s shoulder. “Is it really you?”

Ludo burst into a gummy grin, lumbering quickly over to Sarah and the others. “Brother!”

“Oh, my valiant brother, I feared you’d perished all that time ago!” Sir Didymus sputtered. He reached out for Ludo as the giant beast approached. Ludo gathered the old fox up in his arms like a loving bundle and cradled him against his chest. “Ludo miss brother!”

Sir Didymus sniffled, reduced to quivering pile of emotions. “Where hast thou been all this time? I thought you lost to us, to me.”

Ludo hummed placatingly as he swayed with Sir Didymus. Hoggle walked over to Ludo, patting him gently. 

“It’s good to have you back,” Hoggle said in a heartfelt tone. “Whatever happened to you?”

Ludo looked at Sarah, his eyes shining happily. “Sarah find Ludo.”

“It was you who found him, milady?” Sir Didymus asked, still being held in the crushing embrace against Ludo’s chest.  

“Actually, he found me in the tunnels below the Labyrinth,” Sarah explained. “During the battle, the ground crumbled beneath him and he fell. He’s been lost and wandering all this time.”

“My, what an adventure!” Sir Didymus remarked. He turned his sorrowful gaze to Ludo. “My brother, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I thought you had fallen in battle. I mourned your loss and doubted your return. I should have known nothing could ever topple such a stout warrior. I should have searched for you. I can hardly forgive myself for such a grievous error. I abandoned you and for that, I am truly sorry. Will you ever look upon me again as the brother I should have been to you?”

Ludo set Sir Didymus down, looking the old fox hard in the eyes. “Ludo forgive brother.” He smiled at Sir Didymus. “Friend.”

“An inspiration and model you are to us all,” Sir Didymus cried happily. “I cannot even begin to tell you the joy I feel at having you both returned safe and sound.”

Sarah smiled. “It’s good to be back among friends.”

“You found it,” Hoggle muttered, abruptly changing the subject. All eyes turned to Hoggle as his gaze transfixed on the pendant Sarah wore.

Sarah innately grasped the pendant, rubbing it between her thumb and forefinger. “Yes, I did.”

“So, it’s true! There is a heart to the Labyrinth!” Hoggle balked as if he had doubted its existence.

Sarah chuckled dryly. “Yeah, there is. And it’s guarded by a huge Minotaur.”

“A what?!” Hoggle squeaked, astonished.

“A Minotaur,” Sarah repeated, straining the keep the self satisfied smile from tugging at her lips. “He’s the guardian of the Keeper’s kingdom.”

“Did you engage in combat, milady?” Sir Didymus asked, a worried look crossing his features as he scanned Sarah for new wounds to tend and dress.

The smug smile finally wove its way onto her face. “No, but I did have to answer a bunch of riddles!”

Hoggle and Sir Didymus exchanged confused glances. “Riddles?” Hoggle asked. “Really?”

“That’s some right luck for you,” Batson interrupted, appearing beside Sarah. “You seem to ‘ave a knack for answerin’ riddles.”

“Batson!” Sarah cried happily. She placed her hand against the ground and allowed the worm to crawl into her palm. She brought him to her face and gave the small worm a quick peck on the head.  “Thank you for bringing them here. I owe you so much.”

“Ah, it’s my pleasure, love,” Batson replied happily, his cheeks burning with a slight pink hue. 

“Titania told me that you brought some friends who are ready to fight with us and take back the Labyrinth,” Sarah said.

“That’s right!” Batson quipped. “We’ll tunnel under them nasty beasties, you just give the word, love. We’ll follow you to the end.”

Sarah was suddenly struck by how real everything seemed in that moment. The time for battle was quickly approaching and she held the lives of those around her in her hands. Not only the lives of her friends, but the very fate of the Labyrinth balanced on her shoulders. In a matter of hours, she would be pounding on said fate’s door. Sarah couldn’t believe it had all led up to this. She felt as if she were teetering on the edge of a cliff. One wrong move and she would topple over and fall into a vast darkness where all that awaited below was certain death. She swallowed hard. It seemed like it was so long ago when she had awoken once again in the Labyrinth, ushered by her desire to flee from a pain that had since been replaced by so many others. 

“Milady?” Sir Didymus asked, breaking into her thoughts. “Are you alright?”

Sarah looked at her loyal, caring friends. They would do anything for her and she would do anything for them. The fear of losing them nearly overwhelmed her and she felt sick as her stomach knotted. They were all relying on her.

_ What if I fail?  _ The sickness deepened, threatening to overtake her.  _ What if I let them down?  _ She refused to acknowledge such dark thoughts.

“I’m ready.” Her voice had a slight tremor to it and she fought to maintain a strong tone. “But I need a moment to speak with Titania.”

“Of course,” Sir Didymus replied amiably. “Take all the time you need to prepare. We are here when you need us.”

“Thank you,” Sarah said, realizing she still held Batson in her trembling hand. She set him on the ground next to Hoggle. “Would you guys mind checking on the goblins? I left them just outside the thicket.”

“What?” Hoggle asked, bewildered. “You found goblins?”

Sarah nodded. “Yes, Ludo and I found a whole camp of goblins hiding in the Labyrinth. We convinced them to help us in the fight against Euryale.”  

“Well done!” Batson commended. “Come along, chaps, let’s give the Keeper a moment.” He winked at her as he began to wriggle away and nearly collided with Ludo’s foot. Ludo gazed down thoughtfully at the worm as Batson squinted at the large orange creature.

“Oi, you’re a big beastie!” He remarked. “The name’s Batson, friend!”

Ludo bent down and offered his hand to Batson who climbed onto his finger. Ludo held him close to his face, a pleased smile slipping over his tusked teeth. “Ludo. Friend?”

“That’s right!” Batson chirped happily. “Come on, big boy, let’s check on them goblins.” 

Ludo began to walk, holding his new friend up high as they traipsed in the opposite direction, trailed by Hoggle, Sir Didymus and Ambrosius.

“Oh, the missus sure loves goblins,” Batson chattered. “Been a long time since we ‘ad a nice goblin stew!”

Sarah cocked an eyebrow at the remark before turning her attention to Titania who waited patiently and quietly at the edge of the grove with her hands folded neatly in front of her. 

“You are afraid,” Titania speculated when the others were out of earshot.

Sarah nodded, watching her friends disappear in the distance. “I’m afraid for them.” She turned her gaze to Titania. “And you. I’m afraid I’ll let you down.”

Titania shook her head slowly. “You have already accomplished so much. You do not give yourself the credit you deserve.” She held out her hand, gesturing to the thicket. “This is all because of you. We are here to serve you. The true ruler of the Labyrinth.”

Sarah swallowed hard. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough.”

“When the time comes, so will the strength,” Titania promised. “Until then, we are your strength.”

It wasn’t quite the pep talk Sarah had hoped for, but Titania’s unflinching loyalty and belief in her abilities made Sarah feel better. The knot of sickness in her stomach loosened and Sarah felt better.

“What were they doing when I got here?” Sarah asked, unwilling to dwell on her self doubt.

Titania smiled, walking over to where Hoggle had dropped the reeds. “As you well know, fairy blood appears to have a devastating effect on the Chimera.”

Sarah cringed as an unbidden memory sailed to the surface of her thoughts. “Yeah, I saw its effects first hand. Your blood saved my life.”

“Yes,” Titania replied solemnly, looking at Sarah with poorly concealed concern. “Your friends related the horrific encounter with the beast to me. I am happy to see you are unscathed.”

Sarah pursed her lips, remembering the gash the creature had left on her thigh. “I wouldn’t say unscathed, but I survived.”

“And for that, I am grateful,” Titania said with genuine relief. “Given your success with dispatching the beast with my blood, your knightly fox friend and I have devised a strategy. We are using thorns from the Thundelbrush tipped in the blood of my fairies and myself to use as projectiles which can be launched from the Silca reed. We have several hundred thorns ready and several dozen reeds prepared. My fairies have been donating their blood tirelessly to the cause.”

“Wow,” Sarah murmured, impressed. “You guys have been busy!”

“Whatever reservations you may have, know this; we are prepared for this battle,” Titania affirmed resolutely. “We are prepared to follow you into the unknown. I am confident you will lead us to victory.”

Sarah chewed on her bottom lip, nervously tugging at the pendant around her neck. “Do you think it’ll be that easy?”

“No,” Titania said softly. “Nothing worth having ever is.”

Sarah nodded, mired in her own thoughts. She continued to play with the pendant. 

“What troubles you so? What are you not telling me?” Titania probed.

Sarah grasped the pendant tightly, striving to find the right words. “I saw a lot in the Labyrinth since we last spoke. I even saw Jareth again. And ever since I put on the pendant, I can feel…” She trailed off. Titania waited patiently for Sarah to begin again.

“Go on,” she urged softly.

“I can feel him,” Sarah continued. “I can feel him growing stronger by the minute. It’s as if there’s an invisible bond between us now. His powers are still severely depleted, but like the Labyrinth, he grows stronger and more alive.” She looked at the pendant. “And I know it’s because I have this.”

“He is bound to the pendant,” Titania said. “The pendant serves as the bond between you two. It has forged a bridge of magic, bringing him back from the brink.” 

“So, what?” Sarah asked wearily. “This was his plan all along? To get me to embark on this treacherous journey only to siphon my magic once I reclaimed his pendant?”

Titania’s features twisted and worry lined her brow. “Something has changed in you. You are shadowed by doubt. What happened in those tunnels?”

Sarah drew a shaky breath and prepared to tell Titania of her discovery. “I found a great hall lined with mirrors. Each mirror showed a point of time where my life had been lived in the Labyrinth. I was able to step through the image and relive the memories as they played out. I saw things from a different perspective,” she closed her eyes. “I saw how cruel and uncaring I was as a child. How cold I was to Jareth. I relived my mistakes.”

“I also saw my mother,” Sarah whispered. “She came to the Labyrinth before to rescue me from Jareth when I was very young.” She opened her eyes and stared at Titania. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

Titania sighed, her large blue eyes reflecting regret and sadness. “Yes, I knew.”

Sarah shook her head. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Would you have believed me?” Titania asked. “I did what I thought was right. I told you the story had been played out before. I knew no other way. You had to discover the truth for yourself.”

Sarah squeezed the strap of her backpack which still hung over her shoulder tightly. Titania was right. She wouldn’t have believed her. 

“I know,” Sarah muttered, a melancholic trace to her tone. “And I understand. You did do the right thing.”

“Yet, something else perplexes you,” Titania surmised.

Sarah scoffed. Titania was just a bit too astute for her liking at times. “When I did the dream walk thing with Jareth, I encountered Euryale again. She claimed that Jareth used the last of his strength to open the door into my world and disrupt my life. She said he influenced my fiancee so that he would leave me, so that I would come here and he could take my magic, getting his revenge and his powers back at the same time.” The words poured from Sarah like cold honey. She felt ridiculous for even considering the validity of them. “I don’t want to believe her, but there are so many things that Jareth has done that makes it impossible for me to trust him.” Sarah gazed forlornly at Titania. “How do I know what’s right? How do I know if he does still care for me or if he’s just using me?”

Titania walked over to Sarah, placing a hand on top of hers which still held firmly to the backpack strap. “You must have faith, Sarah. I cannot give you the answers you seek for I truly do not know what is to come. The path that lies ahead belongs to you. The story and how it ends is entirely up to you.” Titania gave Sarah a reassuring smile. “You must either forgive him or let go of him completely. When this is over and you face the Goblin King at last, there can be no doubt. You must have a clear mind and be true to your own heart. You must trust in yourself. Above all else, believe in yourself.” She released Sarah’s hand and touched her face gently. “Believe in yourself as I believe in you.”

“I want to,” Sarah whispered. “But I’m afraid I’ve lost my way.”

“You are not lost,” Titania whispered ardently. “For your friends will be by your side. You need not face this trial alone. I will not allow you to walk in this darkness alone. Not again. I see you are troubled and filled with questions, but know this, dear heart; we are counting on you. The Labyrinth has begun to flourish since you’ve discovered the powers which reside in you. It is you who are the true leader of the Labyrinth. You are its Keeper and therefore hold dominion over all who inhabit it.” Titania smiled softly. “That includes myself and my fairies. We are but your humble servants.”

Sarah bit her lip in trepidation. So many had placed their trust solely in her. She feared she wasn’t strong enough to face Euryale after all. The thought of failure was daunting.

“Do not fret,” Titania said soothingly, as if gleaning Sarah’s fear. “You cannot fail us. You have already given us so much.”

Sarah’s brow creased. “I haven’t done anything.”

“You have,” Titania argued. “You have given hope where there was none. You have given us a reason to fight back, to reclaim the home which was taken from us. You have given us a reason to believe. The Keepers did not abandon this place. You are here for a reason. You were always meant to come here, no matter the circumstances.”

Sarah ran her hands through her hair and sighed. “I’m scared I’ll let you all down,” she confessed weakly. “I’m scared I won’t have the power I need when the time comes.” Sarah thought about Jareth. “I’m scared I won’t make the right choice.”

Titania sighed sympathetically. “I wish with all my heart I had the answers you so desperately seek. I wish I knew the words that would calm your heart and grant you serenity. But alas, I have not the words nor the knowledge to help you. I can only walk by your side and guide you. As an ally, and as a friend.”

Sarah smiled weakly. “I’m lucky to have such friends.”

“You are truly blessed, my dear Keeper,” Titania remarked, returning Sarah’s smile brightly.

Sarah nodded resolutely, feeling the pendulum swing ever closer to its mark. “Are you ready to move on the Goblin City?”

“Yes,” Titania confirmed. “At your command, we will lead the assault against the Gorgon Queen.”

Sarah swallowed hard, endeavoring to center herself even though she felt as if she were being rattled apart from the inside. “Then I guess you’d better wake up the Fireys.”

Titania grimaced. “Do you think we really need them after all?”

“Hey, you made me go get them,” Sarah complained. “We’re going to use them. Even if they are crazier than a bag of rabid ferrets.”

Titania cocked her head slightly, unfamiliar with the creature Sarah had compared the Fireys to. “As you command, Keeper. Follow me.” 

She led Sarah around an alcove to the piled Fireys. They looked like a scene from a bad horror movie. Their limbs were strewn all over the place. Sarah figured Titania must have enchanted them while they were swapping body parts.

Titania breathed in deeply, closing her eyes. The pile moved slightly and a Firey stirred underneath his brethren. He rose up, his body coming together as he stretched. Sarah’s backpack rattled and she felt sickened by the thought of the Firey hand jostling around in her bag.

“Hmm,” Augie murmured, smacking his beak. He opened his eyes sleepily. “Hey, lady! You’re back!”

Sarah unzipped her bag, grabbing Augie’s hand and tossing it to him as his brothers began to emerge from their sleep as well. Augie put his hand back on his stumped arm and flexed his long fingers.

“Ah, that feels right good,” he muttered happily.

Bodkin stretched, issuing a loud bodily noise as he did. "Oops!” He laughed raucously. “Who's hungry?"

"Not me," Jojul yelped, covering his nose. "Not anymore, anyway."

Sarah took in a deep breath and held it, glancing to Titania who shot her a remorseful look.

Krew yawned loudly, standing up and scratching himself indiscreetly. “What time is it?”

“Fire Gang,” Sarah announced, conserving her air. “It’s time to chilly down.”


	21. Place The Moon

Sarah anxiously clenched and relaxed her hands as she stared at the decimated gates which led to the Goblin City. The City itself seemed dead, burned and abandoned long ago. Her stomach fluttered and a shiver vibrated from her core, shaking her entire body. She was more nervous than she’d ever been in her whole life.

Ludo came up behind her, pushing against her comfortingly. “Sarah scared?”

She nodded, unable to speak as her mouth had gone dry. She swallowed several times in an effort to reclaim her voice.

“Yeah,” Sarah replied hoarsely. “But I’m okay.”

The goblins were engaged in some very lively chatter behind them, murmuring in awe over the ruins of what had once been their home. Grub sauntered up to her, shaking his head sadly.

“What a grim sight to behold. They destroyed our homes first, run us out,” he recounted somberly. “We didn’t stand a chance. When word reached us that the Gorgon Queen had killed the master, we fled.”

Sarah stared down at Grub who met her gaze remorsefully. “If we’d known the master lived, we woulda never run.”

“I believe you,” Sarah replied softly, feeling sympathy for the goblin.

“Awful quiet, it is,” Batson murmured from Sarah’s shoulder. She jerked slightly in surprise. She hadn’t even known the little worm had made his way from Ludo to her. “Wonder if they’ve gone an’ set a trap?”

“Maybe,” Sarah mused. “But they’re in for a surprise if your friends have done their part.”

“Oh, they’ve done it alright,” Batson replied. “Them beasties won’t know what ‘it ‘em! We got traps of our own!”

“Good.” Sarah turned and saw Sir Didymus and Hoggle had crept close to her. She bent down and addressed them.

“Sir Didymus, Hoggle, I need you to protect Titania,” Sarah began, raising her eyes to the Fairy Queen who was passing out reeds and blood dipped thorns amongst the goblins.  

“What?” Hoggle yelped, his voice registering his immense shock. “You can’t be serious!”

“But who shall protect you?” Sir Didymus protested. Ambrosius whined under him as if to concur with his statement.

“Ludo will protect me,” Sarah answered softly. “But I need you both to look after Titania. I can’t keep her safe, so I’m counting on you to do that. While you guys are drawing the Chimera into our traps, Ludo, Toot, Batson and myself will enter the Goblin City through the hidden passage. Then we’ll go to the castle and into Jareth’s secret throne room. Once I’m there, I will face Euryale alone.”

“Why do you always have to do it alone?” Hoggle griped. “You need us! Let us come with you!”

Sarah reached out and took Hoggle’s hand. “I need you to stay safe! I couldn’t bear it if something happened to any of you. Can’t you understand that?”

Hoggle shuffled his feet obstinately, refusing to look Sarah in the eyes.

“According to her majesty, the fairies claim less than a dozen Chimera remain,” Sir Didymus reported quietly.

“That’s good,” Sarah replied. “That means Euryale is weak and exposed. She’ll send everything she has left to stop me. I need you guys to make sure you keep the Chimera away from the castle so I can rescue Jareth.”

“All the more reason for us to go with you!” Hoggle contended. “Strength in numbers!”

“No! Euryale will be ruthless,” Sarah asserted. “She will do anything to get the upperhand. She won’t hesitate to strike at me where it hurts the most. I can’t risk any of you.”

“Then why does he get to go?” Hoggle sneered, pointing to Ludo.

Sarah pulled in a deep breath, endeavoring to be patient with her concerned friend. His heart was in the right place and he was only worried for her safety. “Ludo and I faced her before. Because of his affinity with rocks, he seems to be immune to her stone gaze. And because of Jareth’s pendant, I am as well. But you guys aren’t and I know she’ll use that against me if she has the opportunity.” A small whimper left her throat. “Hoggle, please, I just want to keep you safe.”

“No one’s safe no more,” Hoggle muttered stubbornly. “But I know what you’re sayin’.” He sighed heavily. “I’ll stay behind and protect the Fairy Queen.For you.”

“Thank you, Hoggle,” Sarah whispered softly, leaning forward and placing a kiss on Hoggle’s cheek.

“This isn’t goodbye,” Hoggle muttered, his voice gravelly with emotion. “Ain’t no way, no how.” He turned abruptly and walked a short distance. Sarah knew he didn’t want her to see him cry.

“I detest these farewells, milady,” Sir Didymus confessed. “But I have the utmost confidence that you will emerge victorious.”

A sad smile traced over Sarah’s lips. She leaned forward and kissed Sir Didymus on tip of his cold nose. “Thank you, kind sir.”

Ambrosius whined and Sarah responded by ruffling his head. He panted happily under her touch.

“That being said,” Sir Didymus began. “Should you need us…”

“Yes,” Hoggle echoed, turning around to face Sarah. His eyes gleamed brightly with unshed tears. “Should you need us…”

“I’ll call,” Sarah whispered, fighting the tears which welled up in her own eyes at the memory that sang through her mind. It was the last thing she had said to them before confronting Jareth.

She felt Batson nudge comfortingly against her neck. She slipped her hand up and stroked the little worm lightly with her fingertip.

“It’s been a great privilege, love,” he began softly, his big red eyes gazing at her with reverence. “And I know I’m jus’ a worm, but I’m glad to be by your side.”

“Thank you,” Sarah said again, swelling with pride. The loyalty and love emanating from her friends was almost more than her heart could bear.

“Sarah, come,” Ludo murmured gently, pulling at Sarah’s arm. “Ready.”

Sarah swallowed hard and noticed that the goblins stood armed and prepared for battle. It was time. She threw one last meaningful glance to the friends she was leaving behind. Hoggle gave her a little wave and Sir Didymus lowered his hat to his chest. It was a heartbreaking farewell.

Sarah walked over to the army of goblins, nearly colliding with a dancing Firey.

“Augie,” Sarah gasped, annoyance overshadowing her grief. “Are you guys ready?”

Augie tossed his head casually to Bodkin, who failed to catch it. The dismembered head bounced on the ground before Bodkin kicked it like a deranged soccer ball. The head soared through the air, landing delicately back on Augie’s shoulders. He wrenched his neck unnaturally, so that his head faced Sarah while his body did not.

“You betcha, lady. You know I’m always willin’ to lend… a _hand_!” Augie popped off his returned hand and waved it at Sarah, while the other Fireys cackled raucously at the crude joke.

“I’ve gotta... _hand_...it to you, Augie, youse a bad hep leader!” Krew quipped.

The Fireys laughed again and Sarah rolled her eyes impatiently. She wondered if it was too late for Titania to put them all in an enchanted sleep again.

“Cute,” Sarah grumbled. “Augie. Augie!”

The Fireys bounced and laughed, their body parts flying as they traded limbs. Krew grabbed Augie’s leg and took off with it. Augie howled in surprise, crashing to the ground while his pilfered leg thrashed violently in Krew’s grasp.  

“Hey!” Jojul complained. “That’s not your hand, that’s my hand! Give it back!”

“No, it’s mine!” Bodkin argued. “I’d recognize it anywhere.” He tried to connect it to the stump of his wrist. The hand writhed uncooperatively, rising up and striking Bodkin repeatedly across the face until his head went flying off his body.

“Told ya!” Jojul jeered smugly.

“Alright, enough!” Sarah shouted, finally meriting the Firey’s attention. “Augie, do you guys know what to do?”

“Yeah, lady, we’s bad hep and ready to chilly down!” Augie replied happily, hobbling towards his discarded leg. “We draw out the beasts n’ shield goblins from fire. Fire don’t hurt us! Then beasts chase us, falling in the holes and goblins use they’s weapons from the fairies to kill the trapped beasts. All the while, you go off n’ fight the mean queen. We gots it, we gots it!”

“Okay,” Sarah muttered skeptically, not entirely thrilled with the oversimplification of the plan, but grateful the Fireys at least understood the concept of it. “Remember, this is for Clash.”

The Fireys quickly sobered up and looked at Sarah seriously.

“For Clash,” Augie reiterated somberly.

“For Clash,” the others echoed.

“Okay, you guys--” A series of vicious howls cut off her thought and Sarah felt her skin prickle with disquiet. In the low light of the early morning, she could see dark figures rushing through the ruins of the Goblin City, heading toward the decimated gates. Sarah pulled in a ragged breath. She had thought they’d have more time.

“Augie, get ready!” She warned the Fireys. “I’m counting on you!”

“We won’t let you down, lady,” Augie swore. “Come on, Fire Gang, let’s show ‘em how to play!” Augie took off towards the gates leading into the Goblin City, nearly rolling as his arms and legs fluidly switched positions with one another.

“Yeah!” Bodkin cried, bounding after Augie. Krew and Jojul cackled insanely, tossing limbs to one another, but keeping pace with the other two despite the exchange.

Sarah turned quickly, only to come face to face with Titania. She handed Sarah at least a dozen blood tipped Thundelbrush thistles.

“Take these as a precaution. The beasts come. Go now, Sarah. Go quickly and worry not for us,” Titania said hurriedly, her wide blue eyes fixated on the Goblin City. “We will keep them occupied and away from the castle.”

Sarah threw her arms around Titania, mindful of her delicate wings. “Please be careful,” she whispered earnestly.

Titania returned the embrace. “The same to you, Keeper.” She looked over Sarah’s shoulder to Ludo, who stood stoically behind Sarah. “Take care of her, noble beast. And you, brave little worm, keep her safe.”

Batson, who Sarah had forgotten about due to his quietness, bowed to Titania. “I’ll see to it, majesty.”

“Ludo protect Sarah,” Ludo swore solemnly, reaching out for Sarah’s hand. “We go now.”

Sarah carefully placed the thistles in the somehow intact pocket of her cardigan, hoping they would remain there if she needed them. She took Ludo’s hand, throwing a remorseful glance to Titania before allowing herself to be pulled around the back of the goblin battalion. Already, Sarah could hear the beginnings of the battle.

“Make ‘em breathe fire!” One of the Fireys commanded.

“Ha-Ha-Ha!’ Another Firey shouted. “It tickles!”

“Hey!” Augie’s distinctive voice yelled. “It ain’t polite to bite!”

Snarls and howls followed the jesting and jeering of the Fireys as they cackled maniacally. The battle was just a big game to the Fireys, but as long as they did their duties and kept everyone safe, Sarah was thankful for their presence.

“Over here!” Grub hissed, crouching against the stone wall surrounding the city.

Ludo had just barely swung Sarah flush against the wall when a horrendous screech filled the air, causing Sarah’s heart to stop cold in her chest. A Chimera came soaring over the wall above them, raging in anger and pain. Attached to its tail was Augie’s head, gnawing mercilessly at the appendage. The Chimera landed roughly on the ground, snarling with discontent. The creature howled, spinning around and flipping its tail hard, sending Augie’s head, along with a good portion of the beast’s tail, soaring. Augie’s ears fluttered rapidly, causing his head to float in the air like a disembodied nightmare. He spit out the tail which had been hanging limply from his mouth.

“See what happens when you bite? We bite back!” He shrieked, flying down at the Chimera with the wild eyes of a rabid animal. He dropped to the Chimera’s back where he resumed to chew and gnaw at the woeful beast.  

“This way!” Toot cried, followed by six goblins. Sarah watched as the goblins began to pelt the angry Chimera with the blood dipped thistles.

The Chimera roared, twisting around until it faced the goblins, looking like an angry pincushion. The goblins froze, locked in a ruthless showdown with the enraged creature. The Chimera launched itself at the goblins.

“Retreat!” Toot yelled and the goblins scattered, all except one. The rat-faced goblin, the naysayer, stood petrified with fear as the Chimera bore down on him.

“Slop!” Toot shrieked. “Run!”

Slop didn’t budge, he trembled as the Chimera bounded with the fury of a fiery explosion directly at him.

Sarah began to run towards the goblin. “Hey!” She screamed, picking up and rock and hurling it with all her might at the Chimera. It bounced harmlessly off the beast’s backside, barely missing Augie’s head. The creature wasn’t deterred in the slightest.

“Run!” Sarah yelled at the motionless goblin as she felt Ludo encircle his big arms around her waist and carry her back to the wall. “Run, now!”

Slop closed his eyes as the Chimera neared him. Sarah watched in horror as the beast leapt at the goblin.

Toot tackled Slop, rolling him out of the way of the oncoming death machine. Slop screamed out in fear and shock, anticipating a pain that had yet to come.

“Move, dunderhead!” Toot commanded, angrily pulling Slop to his feet and kicking him in the butt. He half ran and half dragged his wailing goblin comrade to the others. The Chimera growled in protest of its quick footed prey. The beast’s movements were rapidly becoming weak and sluggish as the fairy blood began to take effect.

“Over here, beastie!” Toot shouted. The Chimera drunkenly swung around, futilely trying to shake Augie’s head from its back. The Chimera stalked forward. The goblins waited for the creature, callously taunting it.

With one more burst of energy, the Chimera charged at the goblins, bearing down on them menacingly. Sarah was just as surprised as the Chimera was when the ground suddenly vanished and the Chimera descended into a pit.

“The traps,” Sarah breathed, relief sweeping through her tensed muscles.

“Yep!” Batson chirped. “I knew we’d get ‘em.”   

The Chimera moaned unhappily as the goblins surrounded the hole and mercilessly pelted it with thistle thorns. In a matter of seconds, the creature ceased its pain riddled wail and fell silent.

Sarah’s stomach twisted at the utter carnage of it all. She had known the battle would be violent and that the deaths of the Chimera would be unpleasant, however she hadn’t prepared herself for how grotesque their deaths actually would be.

“Best not to think of them, lass,” Grub insisted. “Only makes it harder to stomach.”

“I know,” Sarah replied shakily. “At least it was quick.”

“Aye,” Grub agreed. “It was at that.”

Augie’s head popped out of the hole and he let out a victory cheer.

“Another beastie bites the big one!” He crowed happily. “That was killer bad hep!”

The goblins cheered proudly, dancing around the dismembered head. “Let’s find the Fire Gang and see what the score is!” Augie announced, his head half flying, half bouncing against the ground.

“Yeah!” The goblins called, chasing after the strange Firey head.

Sarah drew in a long breath. The battle had just barely started and already her nerves were shot.

“That worked out well, lass,” Grub commended. “You should be proud.”

“I am,” Sarah said genuinely. “Let’s just hope they can handle the others.”

“I wouldn’t fret, love,” Batson comforted. “What we got to worry ‘bout is gettin’ you to that castle.”

“You’re right,” Sarah agreed. She turned to Ludo and patted his arm. “Thank you for keeping me safe.”

Ludo panted, touching Sarah’s arm in return. “Ludo protect Sarah.”

“Right, now follow me,” Grub interjected, leaning closely against the wall. Sarah and Ludo tucked in behind him. They hadn’t gone far when Grub stopped.

“Here we are!” He announced.

Sarah scrutinized the wall closely. Nothing appeared out of place.

“Are you sure this it is?” Sarah asked.

“Am I sure?” Grub chuckled, palming a few rocks in no specific order. “Whaddaya think, lass?” He asked, grasping the last rock. The wall shuddered and tiny particles of crushed rock dust puffed into the air as a portion of the wall moved, revealing a door sized entrance.

“Wow!” Sarah gaped in amazement at how perfectly camouflaged the door had been.

“Told ya, lass.” Grub clicked his tongue and gave her a wink. “I still got some magic up in this ol’ ticker of mine. Let’s get going now.”

Sarah followed Grub through the doorway and Ludo trailed her, grumbling in distress as he struggled to push himself through the narrow entrance. Sarah helped pull on him, successfully wedging him out of the passageway. They stood inside the decimated remains of the Goblin City.

Battle cries and victory cheers carried through the air near the entrance of the city, helping alleviate Sarah’s burdened conscience.

Grub slinked through the deserted streets and Sarah observed the desolation of the city. Only a few houses had withstood the attacks, all others were reduced to piles of rubble or scorched remains with only a few boards precariously bracing the structures upright.

“We’re here,” Grub reported softly.

Sarah blinked in surprise. She’d been so preoccupied with the destruction of the city, she hadn’t realized they had approached the stone steps leading up to the castle. She gazed at the once magnificent fortress. Like the gates to the Goblin City, its doors had been abolished, leaving shattered fragments of wood and iron in its wake. The two stone pillars surrounding the entrance to the castle sagged dangerously, as if they would topple under the pressure of a harsh word.

“It’s almost too easy,” Sarah muttered to herself as they ascended the steps.

As if to punish her for the observation, a lone Chimera stepped through the gaping entrance to the castle and snarled at them viciously.

“Did ya have to say it, lass?” Grub groaned as he fumbled with his Silca reed.

Without hesitation, the Chimera charged at them, heading directly for Sarah.

“Sarah!” Ludo cried, picking her up and swinging her out of the way as the beast swiped maliciously at her.

“Bonzai!” Grub shrieked, launching three thorns at the Chimera. Two thistles landed on the creature’s snout, the other puncturing the beast’s left eye, effectively blinding it.

The Chimera wailed in anguish, clawing ruthlessly at its impaired eye.

“Sarah, go!” Ludo shouted, ushering Sarah up the stairs. “Ludo help!”

“No, Ludo, come with me!” Sarah called. Ludo ignored her, raising his head to the Heavens and unleashing an earth shattering howl. The steps to the castle began to quake, staggering the Chimera.

“Run, lass!” Grub shouted. “We’ll handle the beastie!” He launched another trio of thorns at the creature, striking his mark with all three.

Indecisiveness gripped Sarah as she was torn between running and defending her friends.

“Go!” Batson urged, securing himself with a strand on her hair.

With a heavy heart, Sarah turned to face the castle doors. “Hang on, Batson,” she yelled, hunkering down and charging up the steps. The half blind and confused Chimera swiped at her as she passed. She could feel the rush of air from the attack as it swept harmlessly over her arm, missing her completely. Sarah heard the thunderous crack and rumble of the pillars, gasping in shock as they began to crumble and fall, blocking the entrance to the castle.

“Gotta jump for it!” Batson cried, pushing himself tightly against her neck.

Sarah did as the little worm instructed, half jumping, half diving into the entrance of the castle as the pillars collapsed and buried the doorway. Sarah landed hard on her side, sliding against the floor. Her skin burned against the rough edged stone and she wondered how much flesh she’d left behind. She sat up quickly, her heart thundering in her chest. Clouds of dust and grit floated thickly in the air, causing her to choke and squint through the haze of grime.

“Batson, are you alright?” She asked worriedly, reaching her hand up instinctively to her shoulder.

“Jus’ fine, love,” he answered, coughing a bit. “You alright?”

Sarah lifted her arm, hissing at the raw, pulsating sting in her elbow. She looked down to see her pants had torn and she could see the ripped and chaffed flesh of her knee. It reminded her of a piece of raw meat.

“I’ll live,” she mumbled. She got up quickly, hobbling to the pile of rocks. She listened intently for the battle outside, but could hear nothing except for the continuous tumbling and creak of the rocks as they shifted and settled. She dared not push against the unstable pile which had effectively trapped her inside the castle for fear it would give way and crush her.  

“Ludo!” She called loudly. “Grub! Can you hear me?”

“Let me peek,” Batson offered, racing down her arm and into the pile of rubble. Sarah waited impatiently for him.

“What do you see?” She asked fretfully. “Are they okay?”

Batson returned. “They’re leadin’ the beastie to the gates,” he reported. “Away from us.”

Sarah bit her lip, detesting the helpless feeling which washed over her.

“You can’t do anythin’ for ‘em now, love,” Batson advised. “We must go on.”

Sarah shook her head, unwilling to accept the reality of the situation. However, she couldn’t deny Batson’s rationalization and logic. It was like having her own version of Jiminy Cricket.

“Please be careful, Ludo,” Sarah whispered reluctantly to the stone. She closed her eyes for a moment, endeavoring to come to grips with a situation that was far from of her control.

“Come on, Batson, let’s go.” Sarah waited for the little worm to resume his place on her shoulder. With one final, remorseful glance, Sarah walked away from the blocked door and away from her friends, unsure of their fates. She painstakingly climbed the stairs, taking them two at a time, then only one at a time as the dull burning sensation in her knee became a wildfire.

“Look there,” Batson announced, nudging her ear gently. 

Sarah glanced down to see a time ravaged goblin skeleton clutching a spear.

“Might want to take that,” Batson murmured. “Couldn’t hurt.”

The weapon reminded Sarah of the thorns Titania had given her. She reached into her cardigan pocket and felt for them, sighing in relief that they remained securely tucked away where she had placed them. She reached for the weapon, a slight queasiness drifting over her as she struggled to remove the spear which seemed to be attached to the skeleton.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “But I think I need this more than you right now.” She wrenched the spear from the goblin’s death grip. The bones clattered, falling apart and bouncing down the stone steps. Sarah cringed, feeling as if she had just desecrated the poor corpse. She pushed on, forcing herself to climb the stairs.

Once again, she found herself weaving through the corridors of the castle as if she had always known them, coming at last to the Escher room.

“Whoa,” Batson gaped in amazement.

“Yeah,” Sarah agreed. “It’s quite a sight.”

She hiked stiffly up more stairs and wove through the law bending, physics defying world until she reached the portal which led to Jareth’s secret throne room. She gazed down at her reflection, reaching up and clutching the pendant.

“What now?” Batson asked.

Sarah pulled in a deep breath. “Now you go back,” she answered determinately. “You go back and tell the others how to find me.”

“What?” Batson asked, surprised.

“If I fail and I can’t stop Euryale, then they need to know where she’s hiding. You’re the only one who knows how to get to this chamber,” Sarah explained.

“What ‘bout them goblins?” Batson asked. “Won’t they know?”

“It’s not a risk I’m willing to take,” Sarah reasoned. “I need you to find Titania, Ludo and the others. You’re the only one who can.”

She heard Batson sigh. “Alright,” he relented begrudgingly. “I’ll go. But you promise me somethin’; you come back to us.”

Sarah smiled weakly, painfully bending down and allowing Batson to slink off her arm. “I’ll do my best,” she promised.

“The missus would never forgive me…” Batson trailed off. “I’’d never forgive me.”

“It’ll be okay, Batson,” Sarah assured.

He gazed up at her with melancholic red eyes. “Good luck, love.”

Sarah swallowed hard and nodded, unable to find her voice.

She stood, peering down once more into the portal. Her hand gripped the pendant once again.

 _Here I go,_ she thought, clutching the spear tightly with her other hand. She took a step, falling into the portal and shattering her reflection as a broken galaxy of stars and colors rushed around her.

 _And if I do win, what then?_ Her mind asked as the galaxy whirled around her. _What am I going to do about Jareth?_

It had been a long time since Sarah had been pestered by such questions. She had been so preoccupied with organizing the strike to take down Euryale’s Chimera that she’d been granted  blissful relief from her chattering mind. But now those doubts and questions began to resurface.

_What am I going to do?_

Surrounded by the darkness of this unknown galaxy, Sarah felt a hollowness begin to spread numbly throughout her weary body. She’d never felt so completely and utterly alone.


	22. A Love That Will Last

Sarah hesitated outside the portal, all too aware of what awaited her just beyond its shimmering depths. An end waited for her, one she knew she wasn’t quite prepared for.

_ Be true to your heart _ . Titania’s words echoed in her mind.  _ There can be no doubt. _ _   
_ However, there was doubt, lots of it. Sarah didn’t know how to be true to her heart when she had no idea how she actually felt. 

_ Am I more afraid of facing Jareth than I am Euryale? _ She wondered curiously. She wasn’t sure. Sarah sighed despondently, steeling herself for the inevitable showdown. There was no more time for questions, no more time for indecision. The end had come swiftly and she couldn’t delay it any longer. It was time to face Euryale. It was time to end this once and for all. 

Sarah stepped through the rippling passage and into the throne room. She pulled the spear up defensively, her eyes warily scanning the room for any trace of Euryale. She took a step forward, her gaze landing on a lone figure in the room. Jareth.

He remained chained to the floor, but he was not the shell of a man he had been the last time she had seen him. The pallor had dissipated and a healthy hue of color had once again graced his skin. He looked vibrant and alive. His eyes were closed, as if he were meditating, endeavoring to recover the strength which gradually returned to him.

“Jareth?” Sarah called out cautiously, wondering if it was truly the Goblin King who knelt chained to the floor. She was all too aware of Euryale’s capacity for deception and she wasn’t about to fall into a trap. 

Jareth opened his eyes, lifting them to Sarah. They gleamed like precious jewels, shining brightly with hope and salvation.

“Sarah,” he whispered. Her name sounded like a blessing from his lips. She edged forward another step and stopped when she saw the relief in Jareth’s face evaporate, replaced by concern and fear.

“Sarah, behind you!” He shouted, rattling his chains as he struggled to stand.

Sarah moved, but not soon enough. Sharp, sinister teeth, which had been aimed for her neck, sank ruthlessly into the muscle between her shoulder and neck. The teeth cut into the soft flesh, digging in brutally, ripping and shredding as they pulled at her skin without releasing their hold. 

Sarah screamed in immense pain, releasing the spear as she clawed at her attacker. The weapon clattered down the stairs, rolling to a halt on the smooth floor. 

White hot pain shot through Sarah’s shoulder and arm, sparking to the ends of her fingertips with each forceful, shredding tug. 

Sarah’s mind raced as she struggled against her assailant, fiendishly clawing at the creature which held her captive. Through the haze of pain, Sarah remembered the thistles Titania had given her. She thrust her hand into the pocket of her cardigan, grabbing them quickly. Her hand shook violently as she closed her fists around the thorns tightly, bringing them up behind her and driving them into the face of the aggressor.

A scream of agony nearly shattered her eardrum as Sarah felt the teeth release her shoulder. She fell forward, cascading down the stairs. She bounced painfully against her side, unable to catch her breath before another stair spiked her in the ribs. Finally, she landed hard on her back at the bottom of the steps and her world ceased to spin out of control.

She gasped in tortured breaths, clutching her ribs as she rolled into a ball riddled with torment. 

“Sarah!” Jareth called again, rattling his chains harder.

Sarah opened her eyes, her vision blurred by the severity of her maladies. She looked to the top of the stairs from which she had just tumbled and saw her attacker swim in and out of focus. It was Euryale. Sarah felt a small amount of triumph as she saw Euryale struggle to pull out the thistles she’d implanted deeply into the Gorgon’s Queen’s cheek. 

“Nice try, child,” Euryale growled. “But I don’t suffer from the same affliction as my Chimera.” 

Sarah struggled to her knees, every breath a burden against her bruised ribs. Her shoulder throbbed with an intense heat. She gingerly placed her hand against the skin, her fingers coming back wet and slick with blood. She swayed on her knees, nearly collapsing to the ground. The dizziness gripped her with an iron first, making her feel nauseous and discombobulated.

“Euryale!” Jareth yelled, struggling vainly against his bonds. “It’s me you want! Leave her out of this!”

“It’s too late for that,” Euryale snarled, successfully yanking the last of the thorns from her cheek. “The girl must die.”

Sarah’s head swam dangerously and she shook herself hard, forcing her mind to clear.

_ Gotta get up _ , she told herself distantly.  _ Gotta fight her. Gotta defend myself. The spear. Where’s the spear? _

Sarah lurched to her feet, her lungs screaming with the effort. She began to search frantically for the weapon, her eyes falling upon it a short distance from where she had landed. Agonizingly, she ran for it.

“No! Sarah!” Jareth called, warning her too late. Just as Sarah’s fingers closed around the shaft of the weapon, Euryale’s body collided with Sarah’s, causing the spear to launch from her hand and skitter noisily across the floor. Sarah fell, rolling to her side and gasping as a new kind of agony flared up and through her chest.  

She groaned, struggling to take in a breath as her lungs and ribs denied her the simple task. Before Sarah could recover, Euryale’s tail slithered around her, tightening cruelly about her abdomen. Sarah whimpered pitifully, red fireworks of pain exploding before her eyes, quickly followed by wispy patches of black.

Euryale drew Sarah close, squeezing her even tighter. Sarah’s whole body became ablaze and tingled in sheer torment as it was being crushed under the vise like pressure of Euryale’s tail.

“This belongs to me now,” Euryale hissed, reaching for the pendant.

“Sarah, she can’t!” Jareth yelled. “You’re stronger than her. Fight back!”

Sarah wavered in and out of semi consciousness. She focused on Euryale, wishing with all her might that the horrible creature would release her.

“Let...me...go!” Sarah rasped, concentrating all her fury into the pendant which coursed powerfully against her chest.

A brilliant light shot from the pendant, burning perhaps brighter than the sun itself. Sarah wrenched her head away from the overpowering light, shutting her eyes against it. Euryale screamed in shock and surprise, her tail mercifully uncoiling and releasing Sarah from its hold. 

Sarah crumpled heavily to the ground, sucking in several deep, gasping breaths despite the protest from her lungs and ribs.

“It burns!” Euryale screeched, thrusting her hands to her bleeding face. “It burns!”   
With every ounce of energy she had left, Sarah rolled away from Euryale, striving to get to her feet. “Helping hands, I need you!” She cried out hoarsely, reaching for the spear. “Now!”

Euryale lowered her hands in time to see Sarah position the blunt end of the spear at her. Sarah swung the spear hard, cracking Euryale solidly across the face. The Gorgon Queen teetered back unsteadily, flailing helplessly as a hole appeared beneath her. Strong, ivory hands stretched up and seized the writhing Gorgon Queen.

“What is this?!” She howled, clawing and struggling against the pull of the hands as they strove to drag her down into the hole. 

Sarah turned the spear, pressing the sharp, metal blade roughly against Euryale’s throat. The Gorgon Queen stilled immediately, her golden eyes setting on Sarah, smoldering contemptuously.  

“I warned you,” Sarah growled through clenched teeth, biting past her pain. “I gave you a chance to leave. You will not get another.”

“Strike me down if you dare!” Euryale spat, challenging Sarah by exposing her throat to the blade.

More than happy to oblige the insidious creature, Sarah drew back the spear, aiming for Euryale’s throat.

“No! Sarah! Stop!” Jareth called frantically. “Don’t do it!”

“Why not?” Sarah shouted, quaking with pure abhorrence. She’d never felt such contempt for any creature as she did for the Gorgon Queen. She had never wanted anyone dead before. Until now. “Why shouldn’t I kill her?” 

“Because you  _ can’t  _ kill her,” Jareth answered morosely. “You can’t kill her, Sarah. Her death will be your curse.” Jareth’s voice was soft and pleading. “You’ll be turned to stone.”

Sarah’s breath caught in her throat and the spear trembled weakly in her hand. A smug look of triumph crested over Euryale’s mouth which still shone bright with Sarah’s blood.

“You’ll  _ die _ , Sarah,” Jareth continued gently. “You’ll die.”

The tormented breath which hung in her throat finally broke free, escaping with a small, pathetic whimper. Euryale hadn’t been lying after all. Her death carried with it a curse. If Sarah were to kill the Gorgon Queen, she would be turned to stone. 

She took a heavy step back from Euryale, the spear falling from her numb, trembling fingers.

The Gorgon Queen glared at Sarah, an underserved mien of victory painted on her face. “I knew you were weak.”

Sarah blinked away the bitter tears of anguish and frustration that began to cloud her vision.  “Euryale, wretched Gorgon Queen,” she began, striving to find the strength in her voice. “I banish you from this place and condemn you to the blackness of the oubliette for the rest of your days as penance for the crimes you have committed against the Labyrinth. It is there you shall perish, reviled and eventually forgotten.”

Euryale fought against the hands as they began to descend her into the pit. “You won’t be rid of me so easily, foolish child! I will not rest until the blood drains from your body and your precious Labyrinth is nothing more than a blackened wasteland!”

Sarah scoffed lightly. “You know, I pity you. You once claimed to me that you had a heart, a heart that could feel love, a heart that could be broken; but I know now that nothing so precious could ever exist within the likes of you. You could never know what it is like to love and for that, I pity you.”

“What gives you the right to pity me?” Euryale screeched, twisting ineffectively against the hold of the hands. “I am not the one foolish enough to be blinded by a love that never existed! You think you’ve won? You think you have beaten me? We have both lost! The only one who has gained anything is him!” She wrenched against the hands, casting an accusatory finger in Jareth’s direction. “He has deceived us both.” 

Sarah closed her eyes, the poison of Euryale’s words coursing along the raw and tender nerves of her body. She tried to shake them off, but they only needled at the doubt which already blossomed inside her. “Goodbye, Euryale,” Sarah said, turning away from the Gorgon Queen. “May something have mercy upon your black soul, for I have none.”

“Do not turn your back to me!” Euryale cried threateningly.

Sarah did her best to ignore her, continuing in a slow, determined pace towards the tethered Goblin King. He beheld her with pure wonder and amazement.

“Well done,” he whispered, the relief heavily evident in his tone.

Sarah dropped to her knees, disregarding the incessant throbbing of every muscle in her body. Her movements felt stiff and mechanical, only achieved through the sheer willpower to finish what she’d started.

Jareth leaned his head against her uninjured shoulder and a whirlwind of emotions threatened to break Sarah down. However, she was far too exhausted and numb to even begin contending with them.

“Where’s the key?” She asked flatly.

Jareth lifted his head, his beautiful eyes searching hers. “There, on the seat of the throne.”

Sarah lifted her eyes, seeing for the first time the key which sat upon the plush and velvet seat. She scoffed, anger and annoyance stirring weakly within her. It hadn’t been enough to simply torture Jareth, Euryale had felt the need to place the object of his freedom so close to him with the knowledge that it was completely unobtainable. Sarah had a word for such a creature, but was too fatigued to utter it. Instead, she groaned, pushing up against her thigh and carrying herself over to the throne seat. She snatched the key from the cushion, fleetingly wondering how marvelous it would be to sink into such plush velvety-ness and simply drift away from the world for a little while. Rejecting the desire, she turned her attention back to Jareth.

She stooped over with the grace and dignity of an arthritic, sliding the key into the shackles and hearing the satisfying click of their release before they clattered to the floor. Jareth’s wrists were swollen and raw, taking on a marred red and purple hue. He ignored his injuries, his hands immediately seeking her face. His fingers wove gratefully through her hair as she released the lock on his legs.

After he was unshackled, Sarah finally brought herself to look into his eyes which had not left her face since she’d returned with the key. He beheld her with such clarity and reverence that it nearly broke her heart. Part of her longed to collapse into his arms, to give herself over to him so utterly and completely. However, there was a part of her which warned of his deceit. He was, after all, the same Goblin King she had seen in the Hall of Memories with her mother. The same Goblin King who had deceived a desperate and dangerous creature into a one sided love affair. Although he did appear to love Sarah at one point in time, did that love still exist? If so, was it an honest love? Or was she simply a means to an end, a gateway into harnessing great, unbridled power?

Jareth smiled at her, the corner of his mouth rising in his beautiful, predatory way. “Oh, my sweet, Sarah,” he whispered, gathering her up in his arms and pulling her to him.

Sarah allowed him to embrace her, feeling the warmth of his cheek against her own. He nuzzled her gently, breathing in the scent of her skin and hair. His lips brushed tantalizingly over her brow, his chin sliding over her lips in an intimate dance.

Sarah’s stomach fluttered and she couldn’t deny the attraction she still held for him remained vehemently within her. However, attraction wasn’t enough of a reason to forgo or quell her misgivings. 

“Come on,” she urged, wrapping her arms around Jareth’s waist. “Let’s get you out of here.”

She endeavored to support Jareth while he stood. He was unsteady on his feet, wobbling as a young fawn learning to take its first steps would. He leaned heavily on Sarah and she winced as a fresh torrent of fire shot through her shoulder. 

Once Jareth regained his balance, he braced himself against her forearms, gazing at her with what appeared to be deep affection. She held him by his waist, realizing just how thin he’d become. Jareth risked removing one hand from her arm and reached for her face, slowly drawing his fingertips across the bottom of her lip. His touch left a tingling sensation that almost singed her skin. 

“You came back for me,” he breathed, appearing revitalized by her mere presence.  

Sarah gazed up at the elated Goblin King, the touch of his fingers leaving a ghostly whisper that lingered as he stroked her cheek. Again, her heart strained against her logic and the guard she’d placed in her mind to protect herself. She desperately wanted to release all her reservations and get lost in him. She wanted to be able to take Titania’s advice and either give herself over to him completely or let him go. She knew who the Goblin King was. He wasn’t the villain, nor was he the hero in her story. He walked a fine, delicate line between both. Could she really allow herself to love such a creature? Moreover, could she ever really trust anything he told her without believing it was for his own benefit? 

_ No,  _ she thought to herself with a horrible sinking feeling. Her stomach twisted in sick knots.  _ Because I don’t trust him. _

“How I’ve dreamt of this very moment,” Jareth whispered, lowering his lips to her forehead once again, tracing them over her skin. “How I’ve longed for this very touch of yours.” His mouth ran down the bridge of her nose and his breath sang hotly against her lips. “How I’ve ached for your love.”

Sarah shuddered, imagining what it would be like to drift into his lips, to forget all she had learned and simply give into her desire. An unbidden flash of Steven entered her mind. She remembered the pain and heartache she had suffered as he walked out the door. The sudden memory sobered Sarah. If she were to submit and give her heart to Jareth now and he broke it, that would be it for her. She knew she would never recover from such devastation. She couldn’t allow herself to be hurt again. She needed to know where he stood. Sarah needed him to prove to her that she was not merely a way of reclaiming and enhancing his power. But how could he ever prove himself?

Sarah knew she was being unreasonable and stubborn, but she felt entitled to the feeling given everything she had endured.

“Say it, Sarah,” Jareth whispered ardently, his lips sensually brushing against hers as the words left his mouth. His fingers drifted under her chin, gently guiding her mouth to his. “Tell me you need me as I need you.” He gazed into her eyes fiercely, sagging against her weakly. “Tell me you love me.”

A silent alarm triggered within Sarah as the flames of her doubt and indecision flared higher. She could feel just how frail Jareth really was. She was practically supporting all his weight. Despite the reclamation of the pendant Sarah still wore, the Goblin King was far from recovered. His powers were still severely depleted and on the verge of nonexistent. Given his weakened state, he would say anything, do anything to regain his power. Wouldn’t he?

Sarah sucked in a trembling breath, unable to say the words that she knew would save him.

“Why do you hesitate?” Jareth asked, distress registering in his voice. He drifted away from her, his expression laden with concern. “I love you, Sarah,” he said fervently, his eyes piercing hers. 

Sarah swallowed hard, the words that left her mouth felt bitter and chalky. She regretted them the moment they left her lips. “Do you?” 

Jareth’s face fell in despair and his eyes shown as tortured depths plunged into ruin. Sarah’s brow furrowed and she dropped her gaze from his, unable to handle the pain and devastation his expression showered upon her. 

“How?” Jareth tremored. “How can you ask me that?” He gasped in pain, his knees buckling. Sarah did her best to keep him upright, struggling against his weight and her own aching muscles and fatigue.

“You...you doubt me?” His voice was shattered, thick with the betrayal of Sarah’s reluctance and doubt. She couldn’t help but feel she had broken his heart all over again. The memory of her rejection from the last time she was in the Labyrinth flooded her mind. She truly was a cruel creature.

“Jareth, I--I--” She began feebly, incapable of explaining her distrust with a simple explanation.

Jareth groaned, falling against her heavily. Unable to support his weight any longer, Sarah allowed him to sink to his knees in front of her. 

Jareth clutched her hand, looking up at her with haunted, pleading eyes. “What must I do?” He gasped in obvious pain. “What must I do to prove myself to you?”

“I-I don’t know,” Sarah stuttered lamely, beginning to hate herself for the pain she was causing him. If only she was able to let go of her damnable pride, she could bring his suffering to an end. If only she could bring herself to listen to Titania’s advice.

“You know not, but yet you are still mired by uncertainty?” Jareth whispered. His expression was enough to break Sarah’s own heart. “Am I that lost to you?”

A crack began to form in her guard, a tiny fracture that began to spread throughout her until it reached her heart. Perhaps it was she who was truly lost. No matter how much she strove against it, she knew that eventually she would be lost to Jareth. There was no escaping him after all.

“Jareth,” Sarah sobbed.

A deep resonating laughter tore Sarah’s attention from the waning Goblin King. She turned in shock to see Euryale rising from the hole like an unholy phoenix, ripping herself free of the iron grasp of the helping hands.

“A seed of doubt is what I planted,” she taunted. “Watch how it flourishes and grows.”

An icy tendril of fear gripped Sarah by the throat and her self loathing deepened to her very core as she finally understood. Euryale had played upon Sarah’s tribulations, somehow knowing that she would question everything she thought she knew. The icy chill spread through Sarah’s chest as she realized that Euryale had never actually been defeated. She was stronger than the hands which held her at bay. This entire scenario had been strategically planned. Euryale had been biding her time, waiting for Sarah to execute her next move.

Euryale had wanted to see Sarah break the Goblin King’s heart. 

_ I am a fool _ , Sarah thought desolately.

Euryale grabbed the discarded spear, moving with a frenzied speed that was impossible for Sarah to comprehend. Sarah stood, rigid and frozen, waiting for the spear to pierce her heart and take her away from this world of pain she had created for herself.

“Sarah!” Jareth yelled, using what little reserves of energy he had left to stand. He grabbed Sarah by the arm, thrusting her roughly out of harm’s way. Before Sarah could register what was happening, she found herself tumbling through the air, landing hard on her injured shoulder.

She cried out as she struck the ground, raising her tear filled eyes in time to see Jareth conjure a crystal ball. The ball had hardly caressed his fingertips when it shattered, becoming a great sword with a long, sharp, intricate blade. Jareth barely had time to wield the weapon before Euryale was upon him.   

She struck at Jareth with the spear. With no small amount of effort, he deflected the blow, repelling Euryale and causing her to falter from the impact. Jareth staggered, falling to his knees and panting heavily.

“Stop!” Sarah shouted, struggling to her knees. “You’re not strong enough!”

Jareth ignored her, bracing himself against the sword and rising unsteadily to his feet. He stood protectively between Sarah and Euryale, his sword dipping feebly in front of him.

“You’re weak!” Euryale snarled. “You cannot shield her from me!”

She lashed out again, meeting Jareth’s sword with the spear. The colliding weapons made a dull clash which resounded loudly throughout the empty throne room. Jareth grunted, successfully parrying the blow. He struggled diligently to keep his balance. Perspiration lined his brow as he glared at the Gorgon Queen. 

“Leave Sarah out of this,” Jareth reiterated, his words ragged as he took in quick, short breaths. “It’s me. I am the one you want.”

Euryale’s lip curled in an ugly sneer. She flew at the Goblin King, striking at him directly. With great effort, Jareth raised his sword and the blade met with the spear. Euryale pushed against the sword and Jareth resisted as they became locked in a battle of strength and endurance. Jareth groaned with exertion, faltering and losing his footing. He slid down to one knee while Euryale leered over him like a sadistic predator. 

“Stop it, please!” Sarah cried out, feeling powerless and weak as she watched the scene play out in front of her. “Euryale, I beg of you, stop! Take me! Leave him alone!”

Euryale’s golden eyes slid from Jareth’s strained expression and focused on Sarah. An repulsive, sly smile spread across her reptilian mouth. 

“You hear her beg?” Euryale asked Jareth in a mocking, high timbered voice. “She will beg me every single day to end her life. The torture you endured will seem a paradise compared to the hellish depths I will unleash upon her.” Her golden eyes focused once again on Jareth. “I will never stop,” she vowed. “I will make sure each moment of her life is filled with every horror I can conjure!”

Sarah felt rocked by the threat. The depths of hate Euryale harbored for her were simply unfathomable. Sarah reached for the pendant and held it tightly.

_ I can’t let this happen,  _ she thought.  _ I need to do something. I have to stop her. _

“I will  _ never _ stop,” Euryale reiterated, leaning her weight heavily on the failing Goblin King, enjoying his submission.

“I know,” Jareth strained, his voice tremoring with exertion. Jareth turned his head slightly, his eyes falling to Sarah. A deep sadness radiated from them. “I know,” he repeated softly, the strain leaving his voice.

Time seemed to come to a screeching halt as a harrowing realization began to manifest within Sarah. She gazed back into Jareth’s eyes, reading in them his full intent. An intent she could not control or dissuade no matter how much magic she possessed.

“No,” she mumbled numbly, shaking her head. “You can’t!”

“For you,” Jareth whispered serenely, his eyes beholding her as if she were his entire world. “I can.” He gave her his most coveted smile as the normal flow of time resumed once more. “Farewell, my Sarah.”

“Jareth!” Sarah screamed loudly, reaching out a hand in vain to stop him. Once again, the self deprecation stirred violently within her. She had questioned his affections and had wanted him to unequivocally prove his love for her. Now, he was about to do just that. The Goblin King intended on sacrificing himself for her.

Sarah finally had the answer to her long sought and all encompassing question, but the knowledge didn’t bring with it the happy release she had hoped for. All it brought was massive amounts of anguish and heartbreak. The same heartbreak she had so desperately tried to spare herself of by distancing herself from the Goblin King. A stabbing, cold, harsh deep seeded hatred for her very being welled up within her as she recalled all the things she had said and done to the man who she could clearly and undeniably see loved her.

Sarah watched the Goblin King as if she were frozen, seemingly rooted firmly in place by some unseen force or magic. 

Jareth allowed his knee to buckle, sliding his sword up and splintering the spear in twain, sending Euryale spiraling forward as he slipped fluidly out to the side of her. Euryale’s eyes flashed wildly, surprised by the move. She shot forward, colliding heavily with the ground. She twisted around, unable to comprehend the strength and finesse the Goblin King exhibited.

As she spun against the floor, Jareth raised his sword high, plunging the blade smoothly and deeply into the Gorgon Queen’s chest.

Euryale faltered, bringing her hands up to the blade, grasping it in horror and disbelief. A wail began to rupture from her throat, a high pitched sound of torment, fury, and defeat. She began to writhe beneath the sword, convulsing as a snake would once its head had been severed from its body. Her skin sizzled, burning bright orange and then darkening as it charred into black and gray ash. Sarah watched in horror as Euryale’s skin flaked soundlessly into the air and disappeared with a tiny flurry of smoke.

“You!” Euryale wheezed, the rattle of death deep within her chest. “I… curse… you.”

Sarah swallowed hard, her eyes glued to the golden depths which burned fiercely with unparalleled hatred. Euryale’s eyes began to glow like the dying light of coal embers before turning to gray ash, wisping away into the air and vanishing without a trace. Jareth’s sword clattered to the ground as the last pieces of the Gorgon Queen disintegrated.

Finally, Sarah was able to tear her eyes away from the grotesque flameless pyre of death. She looked to Jareth and felt her heart leap into her throat. His legs had begun turning a paltry slate gray. He groaned as he endeavored to take an unsteady step toward Sarah.

“No!” Sarah moaned, jumping to her feet, breaking the paralysis which had firmly gripped her moments before. The muscles in her legs protested the harsh movements and she stumbled, but regained her balance quickly as she limped to the Goblin King.

Jareth staggered, gazing at Sarah. A small, serene smile drew across his lips and his eyes filled with a gentle acceptance.

Sarah was moving quickly now, her hand reaching for the Goblin King. “Jareth!” She cried, panic and despair entering her voice.

Jareth reached for her as well, the stone gray swiftly enveloping his abdomen and chest. He strained against the transformation.

“I… never… stopped… loving...you,” he uttered haltingly as the stone crept up his neck.

Sarah reached him, her hand entwining with his. Jareth’s fingers curled lightly around her hand as the stone made its way through his arm, turning his warm, soft touch cold and rigid beneath her own. Sarah gawked in disbelief at the transformation, watching as his very eyes, which lingered on her, faded, replacing the brilliant multicolored jewels with a flat, unremarkable gray.

Sarah stared uncomprehendingly as everything that had once been the Goblin King evanesced, replaced by hard, heavy stone. Sarah grasped at the hand which still held firmly to hers, searching for any signs of warmth and life.

“No,” she moaned, shaking her head incredulously. “No, you can’t be gone. You can’t.”

Sarah reached for the face of the statue. It remained cold and hard under her touch. She gasped, bringing her hand back to her mouth as she stifled a sob.

Euryale had gotten the revenge she’d sought on both Sarah and Jareth. The Gorgon Queen’s death placed a curse on her slayer, turning him to stone. However, Euryale knew the weight of such a curse would not only be suffered by her executioner, but also by the one left behind.

Sarah, in all her folly, had doubted Jareth in the end and the knowledge of her final betrayal caused her to wither and shrivel inside. 

“It’s my fault,” she whispered, a bitter and bilious revulsion for herself rising steadily. “I promised I’d save you, but look what I’ve done.”

She swallowed hard, hoping beyond hope that there was a magic deep inside her which would break the curse.

“There has to be a way,” Sarah muttered, gripping the pendant with her free hand. “There has to be a way to bring you back.”

The effigy of Jareth moved under her hand. A wonderful feeling of elation and hope soared through Sarah, causing a wide smile to break out over her lips. However, her hopes were thoroughly dashed, replaced by overwhelming despair as she realized why the statue appeared to be moving. 

It was falling.


	23. Such A Sad Love

“Oh, no,” Sarah whispered in terror as the statue began to fall away from her. She grabbed Jareth’s cold, hard wrist with her other hand, ignoring the pain which flared through her shoulder and neck as she strained to keep the statue upright. “Please, don’t fall!”

Sarah struggled with the figure’s descent, fighting valiantly to keep it securely rooted. However, she wasn’t nearly strong enough the contend with the force of gravity and the weight of the heavy stone. With Jareth’s hand still firmly grasped around her own, Sarah’s efforts to keep the statue upright quickly turned into a struggle to free herself as the stone figure began to drag her off balance. A simple tug to the wrist wrenched Sarah off her feet and she found herself toppling with Jareth to the ground.

An earth shattering crack resounded thunderously within the great throne room, causing Sarah’s ears to ring shrilly in response to the deafening sound. The statue fractured into several pieces, scattering and crumbling beneath her as she landed roughly on top of them, his stone grip finally relinquishing its hold. A blinding pain shot throughout her entire body as she lay atop the ruined remains of the Goblin King.

Sarah braced herself, sharp pieces of rubble and stone digging into her hands while her stunned mind scrambled to comprehend the event which had just occurred. Confusion and dismay clouded her senses as she reached out a dazed, shaking hand to touch the remains of her Goblin King who had been reduced to nothing more than jagged and broken stone. 

Sarah began to panic, her breaths coming out in short, shuddering gasps, on the precipice of hysterics which threatened to unleash at any moment. She swallowed hard as the shock which had caused her confusion began to dissipate, replaced by a harrowing clarity.  

“No, no, no,” she chanted, as full comprehension finally seized her in its uncaring grasp. “What’ve I done?” She wailed, her fingers trembling over the strewn rubble. “Oh, God, what’ve I done?” 

She began to shake uncontrollably, careening off the stone pieces quickly. She slid back, away from the rocks, bringing her knees to her chest and pitching herself back and forth violently. “This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening!”

Convulsions of sorrow rippled through Sarah as she hugged her legs tightly, her eyes inexplicably drawn back to the pile of stone.

Immediately, her gaze fell upon a singular piece of stone which had been miraculously preserved. She stared unbelieving at the perfectly intact eyes, nose and mouth of the Goblin King. The last moment of his life, a torturous mixture of pain, sorrow and love, forever etched upon his face. Without thought, Sarah lurched over the rubble and retrieved intact image, pulling it back with her as she resumed her hunched over position.

She cradled the rock, gazing into the stone slate eyes which still beheld her as if she was the most precious thing in the world. Once again, Sarah was seized by uncontrollable hysterics and she clutched the piece of effigy to herself tightly. A high pitched wail rose from her chest. She didn’t realize it was coming from her until it tore loose from her throat, followed by torrential tears and a pitiful whine of loss and regret.

“No,” she tremored, breaking into a new fit of sobs as she chanted her mantra. “No, oh, no, oh, no, oh, no. Jareth, please no.”

_ This is your fault,  _ her mind sneered darkly.  _ Are you happy? You caused this!  _

Sarah shook her head rapidly, rocking herself harder, the sobs wrenching violently from her throat.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” she whimpered. “I didn’t want this. Not this.”

“Sarah?” A concerned, gravely voice called. Sarah looked up, barely able to discern the giant orange object which loomed before her through her tear ravished eyes.

“Ludo!” Sarah wailed, unable to compose herself.

“Sarah!?” Ludo yelped in shock and fear, hurrying over to her and quickly gathering her up in his strong, comforting arms. She buried her face into his thick fur and began to bawl loudly as his hands stroked her back reassuringly.

“It’s...my...fault, Ludo!” She hyperventilated against him. “It’s all my...fault!”

Ludo cuddled Sarah to him, humming in concern, ineffectively attempting to calm her. “Sarah sad,” he observed morosely. He continued to stroke her back and hair, failing to console her hysterics. She burrowed herself deeper into his warm, sympathetic embrace, wishing she could simply disappear.

“Sarah no sad!” Ludo announced brightly, gently tugging Sarah back so he could see her face. “Ludo fix!”

Sarah gripped the stone piece of Jareth tightly, shaking her head forlornly, unable to look up into the eyes of her gentle friend. “No, Ludo, you can’t fix this. No one can.”

“Oh,” Ludo mumbled dejectedly. He looked over to the pile of rubble then back to Sarah. “Goblin King gone?”

Sarah’s face contorted once again with anguish as a fresh batch of tears spilled from her eyes and rained down her cheeks. “Yes, Ludo. He’s gone.”

“Oh, Sarah!” Titania’s voice floated down to her, stricken with agony and grief. “I truly mourn with you.”

Titania came swiftly down the stairs, wrapping her arms securely around Sarah as she collapsed to the floor beside her. Sarah sobbed into Titania’s shoulder, unable to take comfort in the soothing strokes of Titania’s hand through her hair and the gentle murmurs of her voice.

“Oh, love,” Batson sighed from Titania’s other shoulder. “I feel jus’ awful for you!”

“Milady?” Sir Didymus asked, appearing through the portal with Hoggle.

“Wha-what’s happened?” Hoggle shouted worriedly, his eyes surveying the broken stone. “What’s wrong?”

Sarah tried to explain, but was unable to push the words past the lump that had formed in her throat. Sir Didymus and Hoggle crept down the stairs, joining Sarah and the others. They did their best to comfort their anguished friend.

“What happened?” Hoggle asked once again.

“It appears the Gorgon Queen has been slain,” Titania whispered softly.

“Is this she?” Sir Didymus inquired, gesturing to the pile of rock.

“No,” Sarah moaned. “That’s Jareth.”

“Jareth?” Hoggle gasped, staring bewilderedly at the rubble. “No, it can’t be!”

“I am afraid it is so,” Titania sighed, continuing to stroke Sarah’s hair sweetly.

Sarah’s friends stood in a dumbfounded silenced, looking to one another in powerless despair. No one knew what to do.

Sir Didymus was the first to speak. He removed his hat, bowing respectfully to the debris. “A king has fallen and we grieve his loss. May Underground remember this great king for all his goods and may he live on in our hearts.”   
“And in our dreams,” Batson added grimly.

“And each day we continue on,” Hoggle murmured softly.

“Until we meet once again amidst the stars,” Titania finished.

The sentiment ripped at Sarah, causing her to melt into a pile of quivering wails. Sir Didymus placed a gentle paw on her arm, commiserating her grief.

“I--I never thought he’d be gone,” Hoggle stammered. He looked over to Sarah, shaking his head. “I’m so sorry.”

Sarah whimpered, her throat burning. “I doubted him!” She rasped, raising her red, swollen eyes to the Fairy Queen.

“Shh,” Titania soothed, wiping the tears from Sarah’s cheeks.

“You told me not to,” Sarah babbled, sniffling. “But I did and it was enough to keep his powers from returning! That was Euryale’s plan all along and I stupidly played right into her trap.” Sarah sucked in a several ragged breaths. 

“You could never have known her intent,” Titania whispered, endeavoring to comfort Sarah. “None of us could have ever guessed the depths of her treachery.”

“I should’ve known,” Sarah sobbed. “I should’ve trusted him. Now he’s gone and this is all I have left.” Sarah revealed the broken stone face of Jareth to Titania. 

Tears of sympathy glistened in Titania’s eyes as she looked at Sarah. “I am so sorry, dear one.”

“Milady,” Sir Didymus muttered, stroking her arm, unable to convey his condolences. Hoggle laid his head against Sarah’s shoulder, rubbing her back gently. 

Ludo shuffled uncomfortably, looking to Sarah and to the rocks. He sighed heavily and then began to hum softly. It was a deep, mournful moan which rose into the most heart wrenching howl of loss any of them had ever heard. The cry which emanated from him was enough to shatter what little remained of Sarah’s decimated heart.

“What’re you doing?” Sarah asked, turning her aching eyes to the wailing beast.

Ludo continued to bay his melancholic song as a gentle tremor surged through the floor of the throne room. Slowly, the broken remnants of stone began to shift and form a pile. Sarah gawked in dumbfounded horror as she watched the fragments of Jareth gradually fit together like pieces to a puzzle, fused by some unforeseen magic.

The stone piece Sarah held tumbled from her grasp, rolling to the nearly formed statue and taking its rightful place, merging seamlessly with the rest of the stone. Before her very eyes, the statue of Jareth reformed, its arm once again extended to her in a final moment of love and desperation. An eternal reminder of her final betrayal. 

“Ludo!” Sarah screamed, flinging herself at the beast, grasping fistfuls of his fur. “Why?!” She wailed. “Why did you do that?!”

“Sarah sad! Ludo fix!” He answered quickly, bewildered by her reaction. “Ludo wrong?”

“I can’t… I can’t…” Sarah sobbed, collapsing in devastation against the great beast. She knew that he’d only meant to help by reforming the statue, but it had only worsened her already overpowering guilt. 

“Ludo sorry,” the big beast lamented, stroking Sarah’s back. “Want to help,” he mumbled apologetically.

She shook her head, sniffling.“No, Ludo, I’m sorry. I know you did what you thought was best.” Sarah forced herself to her feet, unwillingly turning to face the stone image of Jareth. She knew she needed to face him, she owed him that. After all, it was she who had done this to him. Sarah appraised the statue, a new wave of grief and guilt crashing over her. She reached out, gently stroking his cold wrist, feeling the hard grain of stone beneath her fingertips. Remorse and regret picked and tore at her very soul.

“Sarah,” Titania murmured gently, gingerly touching her arm. “Come away. This is not good for you.”

“You can fix him, right?” Sarah asked suddenly, desperately turning to Titania. She squeezed the Fairy Queen’s arms, clinging to her as if she were dangling off the edge of a cliff. “You know everything. You have to know how to break the curse!” 

Titania averted her eyes, unable to take the heart-rending, desolate plea on Sarah’s face. She shook her head slowly and Sarah felt the weight of the small glimmer of hope come crashing down on her with a force of a thousand broken dreams.

“I am so sorry,” Titania whispered remorsefully. “I have not the knowledge nor the skill to break such a curse.” She closed her eyes and Sarah saw her lip tremble. “Some are magicks which cannot be broken.”

A cold hollowness began to seep through Sarah and she nodded numbly. In her heart of hearts, she had known that the curse could not be lifted. She had known, but she had dared to hope even when she couldn’t deny the truth. More than anything, Sarah had known that she wasn’t prepared to accept the fact that Jareth was gone because of her.

_ To hope is hopeless in the end,  _ Sarah thought coldly.

“It’s my fault,” Sarah murmured again. “I did this to him.”

“It’s not your fault!” Hoggle retorted sternly. “You did the best you could. No one else coulda done better.”

“You don’t understand,” Sarah argued, turning back to Jareth. “I doubted him. He risked everything for me and I doubted him.” She trailed off, once again lost in the stoney gaze of what was once the great and glorious Goblin King.  

“I know it hurts, milady, but you must know that you saved us all,” Sir Didymus comforted. 

“We’d never be rid of those nasties if not for you!” Batson chimed in helpfully.

“Sarah save Ludo,” Ludo remarked, shuffling over to Sarah and cradling her from behind.

Sarah hung limply in his arms, incapable of taking solace in their condolences. 

“I know what you’re trying to do,” she acknowledged softly. “I know you’re trying to make me feel better and you want to be here for me, but I--I--” her voice cracked and a fresh onslaught of tears stung at her dry and tired eyes.

“I need to be alone for a little bit,” she whimpered, striving to reclaim her voice. “I need to be able to say goodbye. I owe him that.”

“Sarah, I don’t think--” Hoggle objected only to be silenced by Titania. 

“Of course,” the Fairy Queen said supportively. “We understand. Everyone, please come with me and give Sarah the chance to say her farewells.”

Hoggle sighed in frustration, clearly unhappy about taking orders from a fairy. However, like the others, he begrudgingly complied.

“We’re here for you, milady,” Sir Didymus called softly as they trudged up the stairs to the portal. “You needn’t look far for friends.”

“We care about you, Sarah,” Hoggle added. “We’re here when you’re ready.”

“Sarah friend,” Ludo appended as he followed Titania.  

“They’re right, ya know,” Batson concurred from the Fairy Queen’s shoulder. “We’ll not go far. You jus’ say the word.” 

“Thank you,” Sarah whispered, looking to each one of them. “For everything.”

“We’ll be just outside the castle doors,” Titania interjected, throwing Sarah a sympathetic glance. “Remember, you are not alone.”

Sarah nodded, unable to speak once more as her voice was yet again stolen by her raging emotions. She watched as her friends made their way up the stairs and disappeared through the portal, leaving Sarah alone in the immense throne room with the statue of Jareth.

She stood silently for a moment, bleakly aware of how quiet the throne room had become. It reminded her of a crypt.

_ A fitting analogy given Jareth’s fate, _ Sarah thought darkly. She breathed in sharply, the tone of her inner voice cutting deeply at her already taxed psyche.

She turned away from the stairs, her gaze beholding Jareth in his new form. Even as a statue, the Goblin King was beautiful. Sarah stepped over to the figure, lacing her hands cautiously around it and placing her head against its hard chest. It was an embrace she knew he could never return, but she felt compelled to hold him in her arms one last time.  

“I am nothing but a foolish soul mourning for something I could’ve had.” Sarah closed her eyes, wishing she could hear his heartbeat. “I couldn’t let go of my pride even though I wanted to. I wanted to love you so badly, but I was afraid of getting hurt. And now look at me. It’s too late to save you and I’m still hurt.” She shuddered, the acidity of self loathing scorching her from the inside out. “You forgave me all those years ago for denying your love and now there’s no going back. I can’t undo what’s been done. I failed you and I have to live with that for the rest of my life.” She pulled away from Jareth, despising herself for wanting what she could no longer have. She thought back upon all the loves she’d experienced throughout her life and all the heartache she had endured at the end of each relationship when they had left her. 

She scoffed scornfully. “I’m no better than them.”

She turned her back to the statue, sinking to the floor and gently reclining her head against Jareth’s leg. She played with the frayed strings of her cardigan sleeve.

“I didn’t understand what you were offering me that day when you asked me to love you. You see, I was a child, but you didn’t understand that. I guess age had no meaning to you since the Fae live such long lives. To you, I was simply the object of your unrequited love. And to me, you were the villain every good story had to have.” A solitary tear slid down Sarah’s cheek. “So, in my complacency, I misjudged you.” An image of the Goblin King offering her his crystal ball flashed through her memories. Sarah remembered how he had looked upon her, his entire being entreating her for some shred of affection. Guilt and regret gnawed at Sarah as she longed to see the fiery charm which had once glistened so brightly within the depths of the Goblin King’s eyes.

“When I returned to my world, I convinced myself that you were nothing more than dream. I convinced myself that it was all just a wonderful, thrilling adventure that began to fade from my memory as the years passed.” Sarah abandoned the tattered threads of her cardigan and pulled Jareth’s pendant off from around her neck. She gazed at it mournfully, her thumb lightly stroking the symbol.

“You see, we tend to forget our dreams, even the ones we create for ourselves.” Sarah’s voice broke and she fought vainly against the tears which once again rose up to her tired eyes, blurring her vision.  “All these years, I have  _ yearned _ for a love that would rival those of the story books. I have fought so hard for it…” Sarah trailed off, squeezing the pendant tightly in her hand. She forced herself to stand, turning her tear burned face to Jareth. She scoffed lightly. “It would seem irony is not without a sense of humor. I’ve been searching endlessly for such a love and all this time it lay scorned and brokenhearted here.”

She reached out and cupped the cold, hard cheek of the Goblin King. The gesture only deepened her sadness causing her to grimace as her fingers caressed frozen, pitted stone instead of smooth satin skin. “You told me once that you move the stars for no one, but you lied,” Sarah whimpered. “You turned your world upside down for me. You rearranged time. You offered me my dreams and in turn, I spited you. What a cruel creature I was.” Sarah bit her lip miserably. “And still am. If only I had the power to rearrange time, I would go back and save you.”

“I can’t forgive myself for this. No matter what I do, no matter how much time passes, I will never be able to forgive myself for doubting you.” A sob wrenched through Sarah’s throat as memories of Jareth mercilessly danced through her mind. She closed her eyes and leaned into the statue, her warm forehead pressing against unyielding stone. Tears she could no longer feel pelted the floor at her feet, resounding pitifully throughout the massive chamber.

“You were not perfect, far from it. You were cruel and you were selfish, but so was I. You were...flawed, but in the most beautiful way. Your flaws were what made you so beautiful. There will never be anyone for the rest of my life,” Sarah whispered, knowing that the words were not merely uttered as a farewell to Jareth, but as a solemn vow. “I should've known your love was true. I could feel it, you know? I just didn’t trust it like I should’ve. I never felt like I belonged in my world. I always felt something... _ someone _ calling for me.” She scoffed ruefully. “I always had one foot in reality and one foot in fantasy.” 

She pulled back, gazing into the Goblin King’s chiseled features. “It was always you. I’ve betrayed you twice and still you loved me. You sacrificed yourself for me. How could I ever be worthy of such adoration? How could I ever hope to find that kind of love again? It seems only fitting now that while your heart sits as cold as stone, mine aches with a wound that will never heal.”

“I should’ve allowed myself to love you as you deserved to be loved. I should’ve said this a long time ago and to say it now is too late, but I’m going to say it anyway. I have to. I need to.” Her mouth slid across the stone set features of the statue until she found his rough and pitted lips. She set her mouth firmly against the stone, giving it a soft, unsatisfying kiss. “I love you, Jareth.”

Sarah allowed the sad kiss to linger, knowing it would be the last one she would ever share with him. She pulled away, the despondent melancholy seeping from her very core. She realized she still held the pendant tightly in her hand. 

She clutched it to her chest over her heart, holding it tightly.

“I should’ve given you this a long time ago,” she whispered, using the pendant to symbolize her heart. She lifted the pendant from her chest and carefully looped the chain over Jareth’s head. She straightened the medallion meticulously against his chest.

“I was wrong, so very wrong,” she breathed softly, looking once more into the unflinching eyes of the statue. “And for that I am truly sorry. Goodybe...Jareth.”

With no small amount of effort, Sarah turned from the statue and forced herself to walk away, fighting the urge to peek over her shoulder to gaze upon the Goblin King one last time. She made her way to the steps and walked through the portal, navigating the castle in an oblivious blur, lost in a haze of her own self pity and disdain. Before she knew it, she had stumbled upon the doors leading out into the Goblin City. Lively music and jovial cheers floated in through the decimated entrance of the castle which was still littered with small piles of rubble. It sounded as if a festival was taking place outside.

Sarah hesitantly peered through the entryway and saw the army of goblins, the Fireys, and her friends taking part in the merriment. The Fireys were singing their wild songs, dancing in a chaotic whirl of limb throwing frenzy. Sarah cringed as she saw the Fireys also juggled what appeared to be several dismembered pieces of Chimera.

The goblins were drinking heartily, having liberated several barrels of mead from their hiding places throughout the Goblin City. They danced and cackled with the Fireys while the other goblins tended a fire pit with what appeared to be a Chimera suspended on a makeshift spit roasting over the open flame.

Batson sat with his wife and several other large worms as they all reminisced over the triumphant battle. Sarah could hear Batson proclaim that it had been an epic battle and they would no longer be referred to as ‘just worms’ after this. Prell seemed as infatuated as ever with Hoggle, who cradled a large tankard of mead as Prell cradled him. Sarah’s eyes scanned the crowd and she saw Titania with Ludo. The Fairy Queen had fashioned a comb out of the remaining thistle which she used to brush through Ludo’s matted fur. He moaned and purred contentedly with every stroke and Titania smiled sweetly, enjoying the gentle beast’s reaction. Sir Didymus was surrounded by a large group of goblins, including Toot and Grub, who sat enraptured as he regaled them with stories of his valor. Sir Didymus swiped wildly with his sword and barked loudly, no doubt embellishing the tale. They applauded him, demanding more stories while Ambrosius yawned and stretched comfortably by Sir Didymus’ side.

Sarah watched all this from the dark entrance of the castle doorway, unable to take pleasure in the merriment and not wanting to spoil it for the others. Unlike her, they had a reason to celebrate. The Chimera had been slain and the Labyrinth had been liberated from Euryale’s wretched grasp. They had every right to be happy and to celebrate. Sarah was sure the goblins were unaware as to the fate of their Goblin King. She couldn’t bring herself to announce it to them and ruin their jocularity, nor could she bring herself to join in on the festivities. She’d lost too much and more than anything, she just wanted to be alone.

Sarah slunk back into the darkness of the castle before anyone could see her and retreated back to the stairs in dim hopes of finding a bedchamber. She wove through several hallways and corridors before she came to a room. Without understanding how, she knew the room had belonged to Jareth, these were his bedchambers. Sarah opened the heavy door and was greeted by a deep, cool darkness. She shut the door quickly, effectively enveloping herself in blackness. The only source of light came from a thin ray of weak sunlight which fought to penetrate through the gap of the heavy drapes which had been drawn across the window. Sarah used the narrow beam of light to guide her to the bed. She sank down heavily on the satin covers, pulling her legs up against her stomach in an embryonic position. She grabbed one of the many pillows which surrounded her and clung to it tightly. She could smell the lingering remnants of his skin against the linen and Sarah once again found herself crying.

An overwhelming grief settled in on her and Sarah no longer fought against it. She allowed it to wash over her in waves, sobbing inconsolably into the softness of the pillow until she was utterly exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to get away from herself. She wanted to forget everything that had transpired, if only for a second, and be given a moment of peace. 

“I wanna go home,” she moaned to herself, hugging the pillow tighter. “I wish I could forget all this and go home.”

Sarah shivered against the chill in the air, wrapping the blankets around herself tightly as the excruciating folly of her request taunted her. There was no going home any longer. There was no forgetting. She would always be burdened by the knowledge of her betrayal.

Sarah realized that the last time she’d slept in a proper bed, she’d cried herself to sleep wishing for a love like that of the Goblin King’s. The irony of the situation didn’t elude her as she slowly drifted into weary sleep.

“What I wouldn’t give…” she mumbled sleepily. “What I wouldn’t give...”

 

* * *

 

Strong sunlight pierced the veil of Sarah’s heavy eyelids and she groaned in protest, yanking the pillow over her face to block out the incessant and unwelcome light.

_ I wish I could just sleep forever _ , Sarah thought, her brain fuzzy from her slumber and emotional fatigue.  _ Sleep with him forever. Both of us facing the abyss together. _

A shrill ringing shook her from her melancholic thoughts, causing her to bolt upright in bed. She blinked in surprise, her eyes scanning the room. 

“What?!” She gasped, seeing a desk with a black roll away chair and a bureau with a television on it. The shrill ringing came again and Sarah’s addled mind finally discerned it was the sound of the phone on the nightstand. 

_ I’m back,  _ her mind screamed, rampant with confusion.  _ How? How did I get back? _

Sarah grabbed for the phone, forgetting momentarily how to answer it.

“Who--Uh--um--Hi? Hello?” She sputtered.

“Miss Williams?” A pleasant female voice asked on the other end.

“Uh--yeah?” Sarah floundered, still unable to comprehend what was going on.

“I apologize, did I wake you?” The woman asked with scripted concern.

“No,” Sarah mumbled, finally coming to terms with her initial shock. “No, I was awake.”

“Oh, good!” The woman said cheerfully. “I’m calling to check in with you and see if you were planning to stay with us another evening as check out time is in fifteen minutes.”

Sarah blinked, her mouth hanging open dumbly. She was still trying to figure out how she’d gotten back and this woman wanted to know if she was staying or leaving the hotel?

“No, I’ll-uh-I’m checking out today,” Sarah mumbled.

“Alrighty, then!” The woman replied in a syrupy, chipper tone. “I’ll let the maids know they can turn down your room. Thank you, Miss Williams. You have a nice day now.”

“Thanks,” Sarah mumbled, dropping the phone onto its cradle distractedly. She gazed at her hand, her brow furrowing with deep consternation. It was no longer bandaged. Sarah brought her hands up to her face, inspecting them. She gawked at the smooth, uninjured skin which had magically appeared over her once raw and chafed palms.

She quickly felt her shoulder, her fingers gingerly probing the muscle as she steeled herself against the pain that would be sure to follow. Her fingers touched smooth, uninjured skin and the area was devoid of pain. Sarah breathed out sharpy, rolling up her shirt and inspecting her stomach. The wounds from the deadly flower garden had vanished as well. Sarah dropped her shirt, her eyes focusing on the sleeve of her cardigan. What had once been reduced to thin, frail strips of ripped and tattered fabric was once again intact and whole. Sarah brushed her fingers against the material questioningly.

It was as if her adventure had never happened. 

“It can’t be,” Sarah muttered in disbelief. She crawled to the edge of the bed and peered over the side. Her backpack lay on the floor with her items scattered where she’d dumped them out in her fit of frustration. A disconcerting feeling of dread crept its way up her spine as she began to doubt herself.

“No,” Sarah said, shaking her head. “It wasn’t a dream. It  _ couldn’t  _ have been just a dream!”

_ Or was it? _ Her mind asked retrospectively. Sarah pulled herself up, sitting on the edge of the bed in stunned silence. She wove her fingers frantically through her hair as she strove to make sense of it all. Had it all actually been just a dream? Could she have really dreamt of something like that in such vivid detail? 

Slowly, Sarah sank off the bed and to her knees. She gradually began to gather her discarded belongings, shoving them haphazardly into the backpack as her mind spun with recent events. 

“How could it have been just a dream? It had to be real.” She muttered, grabbing a pair of balled up socks. “It felt so real.  _ He  _ felt so real.”

_ There has to be a way to prove it happened,  _ she thought.

_ The book! _ Her mind nearly screamed. Sarah stood up quickly, tossing her backpack on the bed amongst the tangled quilt and sheets.  

“Where’s the book?” She pondered aloud, a fluttering excitement rising in her stomach.

Sarah dove onto the bed, her hands recklessly sifting through the covers in search of the text. Her fingertips cracked the the corner of the book which was tucked securely under a pillow. Sarah grabbed it violently. 

_ The book will tell me!  _ Her mind proclaimed in a near crazed frenzy. _  
_ Sarah flopped to the edge of the bed, her thumb already placed between the cover of the book and the front page, ready to flip it open and prove to herself that it hadn’t been a dream. She was just seconds away from knowing without a doubt that her adventure in the Labyrinth had really happened, that she had indeed fought her way through the maze once again in an attempt to rescue the Labyrinth from Euryale’s tyranny and save the Goblin King.

Sarah hesitated, gripped by sudden indecision.

“If it was real, then I betrayed him,” Sarah whispered to herself, looking down at the red cover of the book. “If it was real, that means Jareth is dead.”

Guilt began to billow once again deep inside Sarah. Part of her wanted to deny the possibility of such an adventure. She wanted to be able to give into her blissful ignorance and convince herself that none of the events had really transpired. There was a part of her that desperately wanted to believe it was nothing more than a manifestation concocted by her broken heart and lonely imagination. For if she were to believe that, then she wouldn’t have to face what she had done. She wouldn’t have to live with the knowledge that she had betrayed the Goblin King and scorned his love yet again.

She slipped her thumb out from under the cover, trailing her fingers over the depressed lettering on the face of the book.

“If it wasn’t real, then I wouldn’t have to bear this guilt,” Sarah reasoned with herself, realizing she was in denial. She placed her palm on the cover of the book, at war with herself. She knew that it was only a matter of time before she opened the book and read it, but part of her desperately wanted to cling to the illusion that her adventure had been nothing more than a dream and she had not ruined her chance at love. 

Sarah looked down at the book and sighed. So many things had happened and changed for her in one night, dream or not. Her sadness and love for Jareth still remained with unprecedented clarity, bitter and painful. Perhaps it was too soon to relive them again. Perhaps she should give herself some time before she knew the truth.

No matter how much she wanted to wallow in denial, Sarah couldn’t lie to herself. She already knew the truth. Deep inside, she knew it hadn’t been a dream because dreams were not things that were strong enough to linger, leaving cavernous wounds inside one’s soul. Only life, both brutal and beautiful in all its glory, could leave such permanent scars. 

“Say your magic words,” Sarah whispered hollowly as she opened the book. She knew there had never been any magic words. It had always been her, she was the key which opened the door. Although, she still wished for the magic words which would take her back and make her whole again.

Tears threatened her vision as she once again felt a longing so deep that it stained her very essence. She gripped the book tightly, overwhelmed by guilt and sorrow as she read the single line which boldly graced the first page. These same words which had given her some small measure of comfort only days before, threatened to shatter what little remained of herself.  

“I wish the Goblin King would take me away,” she choked, her voice constricted with sorrow. “Right now.”

She had known the truth, but seeing it penned to paper only reopened the endless well of woe and torment she now found herself plunging into. She threw the book into her bag and zipped it closed, wiping her eyes roughly with her fingers. She gazed at the bedside clock and saw it was nearly time to go.

She stood up and sniffled, unsure of what to do next or where to go. She was broken and feared she had forever lost the only thing that ever had the chance of making her whole again. She strode to the door, yanking it open forcefully nearly colliding with the figure who stood just outside the doorway. Her eyes widened with shock and disbelief as she gazed at the person who blocked her path.

Jareth stood, beautiful and dark, the very essence of delightful wickedness itself. He was dressed in a dark maroon poet shirt with a black leather vest. His dark leather pants matched the vest, intricately stitched and drawn closed with leather lacings. The vest itself hung open, the leather laces dangling against his exposed chest, revealing his rapidly diminishing wounds and the crescent pendant. 

Sarah drank in the sight of him, her mind swept up in a fury of bewilderment and awe.

Jareth’s eyes danced over Sarah, mischievous pleasure rampant within their multicolored depths. 

“You know,” he said casually, a wicked grin playfully crossing over his lips, making him appear even more sinisterly handsome. “You could have asked that a long time ago.”


	24. Valentine Evenings

Sarah stared in disbelief at the captivating figure who stood before her, hardly able to register his words. She wondered if she’d truly lost her mind, having fallen down the rabbit hole with Alice and becoming as mad as the Hatter.

“It’s you,” she whispered numbly, her backpack sliding from her fingers. “Are you real?” Jareth chuckled, his grin growing broader at Sarah’s query.

Before she would allow him to answer, Sarah flung herself into him, nearly knocking the unprepared Goblin King off balance. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into the crook of his neck, relishing in the warmth of his skin against her own.

“I don’t care,” she babbled, nuzzling him. “You’re here. That’s all that matters.”

Jareth wrapped his arms around Sarah tightly, sighing contentedly at her closeness.

“Of course I’m here,” he teased lightly. “You called for me, after all.”

Sarah laughed happily, still gripping his shoulders tightly, making sure he remained solid beneath her touch. Jareth drew his lips through her hair until they rested near her ear.

“Did you mean it?” He asked softly.

Reluctantly, Sarah released her hold on him, drawing back and looking into his eyes. Jareth was no longer smiling. His gaze was so intense that it seemed to pierce the very veil of her soul. “Do you really wish for me to take you away?”

Sarah nodded vigorously, her stomach fluttering with a nervous tremor. “Yes,” she answered emphatically. “Take me away. I want to be yours. Forever.”

A slow smile crested over Jareth’s face like the dawning of the sun. His smile was both beautiful and wicked, just as he was. Without warning, Jareth strode into the room, surprising Sarah enough to make her stagger a few clumsy steps back from him. Jareth kicked the door closed with his boot, his gaze never faltering from her face. He advanced upon her swiftly, sweeping her up in his arms. Sarah gasped in shock at the quick movements, her heart pounding anxiously in her chest. Jareth took her over to the bed and dropped her against the tangled mess of blankets. He fell with her, pinning her arms to her side and situating himself heavily on top of her. A feral hum of appreciation resonated deep within his throat as he gazed down at Sarah. He traced a gloved finger over the line of her jaw, sliding the soft leather over her parted lips. Sarah’s breathing hitched as he leaned into her, the tip of his nose nuzzling her forehead, his lips tantalizingly close to her skin. Sarah’s breaths became more insistent as her anticipation grew. She realized she was trapped beneath the Goblin King and at his complete and utter mercy. She feared what he would do to her, but also desired his very touch upon her. It made for a frightening concoction of emotions. Sarah reveled in the feel of his skin as he continued to tease her with his nose and mouth. His lips strayed ever so close to hers, but at the last second always denied her of their touch.  

“Say it, Sarah,” he commanded earnestly. His whisper was like a hungry growl of pure desire that made Sarah unravel under the pressure of his body and the intensity of his gaze. His lips continued to hover just above her own, promising her the world, but giving her nothing at the same time.

“Say it now,” he insisted aggressively.

Sarah panted in tortured rapture. She had never wanted to kiss someone so direly in all her life. However, this was something different. It was not just a desire to kiss him. Sarah _needed_ to kiss him. She needed it more than anything in the world.  

She noted the expectant gaze of Jareth’s eyes as he studied her face. She was surprised to realize that she wasn’t the only one with a desperate need. Jareth needed her to say it, the words which truly were magic for him. Sarah knew she would say them this time without reluctance or doubt. She had already given herself to him and there was no going back ever again.

“Jareth,” she began softly, willing her voice to be strong and steady. “I love you.”

Jareth’s eyes slid closed as an unmistakable wave of euphoria graced his features. He let out a contented moan, a small, pleased smile tugging at the side of his mouth. “I have waited such a long time to hear those words from your lips.”

When his eyes opened again, he gazed down at Sarah with predatory triumph and desire. He had finally caught his prey. His gloved finger and thumb captured her chin firmly, the soft fingered tip of his thumb grazing her bottom lip as he did so, pulling it down ever so slightly. Sarah swallowed hard, enthralled by his movements. She squirmed beneath him, a fiery bundle of raw and impatient nerves. He held her down with little effort, delighting in her eagerness to surrender to him.

Jareth leaned down into her parted lips, the featherlight touch of his mouth barely detectable as he traced her lips with his own. She strained to meet his mouth, but he forced her back, her chin still captured in his firm, but gentle grasp. Sarah groaned with an unsatisfied yearning and Jareth’s mouth curled into a fiendish smile.

“Savor this sweetness,” he whispered, his breath cresting over her skin, his mouth so painfully close to hers. “This taste of love.”

Finally, he sank his lips softly into hers, meeting them with a tenderness Sarah had never known was possible. His tongue slid over her eager, parted lips, intimately seeking her own for only a fleeting moment before departing and leaving her wanting more.

Sarah writhed ecstatically under him, finally freeing her arms and wrapping them around his neck, striving to keep the ghostly tenderness of the kiss, but desperately wanting to give into her ravenous desire.

Just as the kiss had begun, so it ended, leaving Sarah feeling deflated and unfulfilled. She glared at Jareth as he parted from her. A serene contentment settled on his face and Sarah wondered how something so simple could have satiated him so thoroughly as it had only served to further ignite her craving for him.

“Now that I’ve savored the sweet,” he remarked lowly. “It is time to bow to desire.”

Sarah’s brow came together in confusion. Before she could question the nature of his riddle, Jareth’s mouth was upon hers again, eliciting a moan of surprise from her throat. Where his initial kiss had been sweet and tender, this one was the opposite in every conceivable way. This kiss carried with it a fiery passion, a thing of rapt and voracious hunger.

Sarah moaned again at the harshness and violence of his kiss, wrapping her arms tightly around him and weaving her fingers through his silken hair. Her response and acceptance of his passion only fueled his desire. His breath hastened and his moan resounded throughout her body in the most beautiful, fulfilling way.

Gradually, the passionate kiss waned and Jareth pulled away, his teeth lightly tugging at her bottom lip. Sarah panted, her lips tingling from the wonderful fury of the kiss. A wicked grin wove across his mouth as he lifted himself off her and the bed. He offered her his hand and she took it. He drew her to him tightly, holding her close. Sarah’s entire body pulsed electrically, her nerves raw from anxious desire. She leaned against Jareth heavily, settling her head against his chest. A small smile drew over her lips. She could hear his heart beating thunderously within his chest. Its rhythm matched her own.

“Close your eyes, sweet Sarah,” Jareth whispered, placing a hand against her face while his cheek languished against the top of her head. “I’m going to take you home.”

Sarah closed her eyes, excitement stirring wildly within her. The air around them suddenly began to churn and howl, making her feel as if she were trapped inside a rampaging tornado. She snuggled against Jareth, devoid of any fear or questions. She was finally with her Goblin King and she knew he would protect her. For the first time in a very long time she was truly and incandescently happy.

Once the wind died down and all was still, Sarah opened her eyes and looked up to see Jareth gazing serenely down at her.

“Is this real?” Sarah asked, fearing the answer as it seemed she was incapable of accepting such happiness. “Or this a dream?”

“What do you think?” Jareth asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

“I think that if this is a dream, Heaven help the person who wakes me,” she said pointedly.

Jareth threw back his head, a throaty laugh escaping his lips. His reaction caused Sarah to chuckle as well. He gazed down at her with a small smirk. “This is not a dream. This is real.”

Sarah turned from him, taking in their surroundings. A beautiful grove of shrubs rose up around them, adorned by purple and white flowers and incredibly bright red berries. Vines hung with mossy growth above them while butterflies and other strange insects floated lazily through the air. Sarah’s heart leapt into her throat.

“We’re in the garden,” she gasped. “How did we get here?”

“The garden?” Jareth asked, clearly confused. “What garden?”

“The Keeper garden!” Sarah insisted, wondering how Jareth had been able to gain direct access to it and bypass the Minotaur. Sarah knew the Guardian would surely be displeased by this turn of events.

“Don’t you recognize your Labyrinth, Sarah?” Jareth asked playfully.

Sarah gawked at the Goblin King. “But this isn’t the Labyrinth!” She contested.

Jareth shook his head. “Look closely,” he advised, pointing to a row of pillars.

Sarah followed his hand and was shocked to discover that they stood just outside of the Goblin City. The stone walls of the city had been covered by thick, dense growth, hiding the buildings and castle which lay beyond.

“I can’t believe this,” Sarah muttered, dumbstruck. “It doesn’t even look the same!”

“This is what the Labyrinth looks like under our combined powers,” Jareth explained, flourishing his hands and turning in a wide circle. “The Labyrinth will only continue to thrive and prosper with your presence. It is alive once again.”

“We’re doing this?” Sarah asked, rampant disbelief in her tone.

Jareth stepped over to her, grasping her hand and pushing her palm against his exposed chest. Sarah noticed that his scars from Euryale were almost undetectable now. “ _You’re_ doing this,” he said emphatically. “Now that you have my heart, your powers are limitless.”

“And your powers?” Sarah inquired. “What of them?”

“They have been restored,” Jareth answered, studying Sarah closely.

She shook her head. “That’s not what I mean.”

“I know,” Jareth replied, surprising her. He reached out to her, his hand pressing against her cheek while his other kept her palm firmly against his chest.

“My powers have grown, I won’t deny that,” Jareth confessed. “However, they are merely instruments for serving you. I am but a slave to your love.” He leaned into her, his teeth gently nipping her earlobe, causing a shiver of desire to roll through her body. “As I promised I would be.”

Sarah felt her cheeks grow hot as a blush of embarrassment rose against them. Jareth stepped back, pulling his gloves off and discarding them. He languished his somehow cool fingers against the growing hotness of her cheek.

Sarah held his hand against her face. “You’re the reason for this. You gave me this magic.”

“No,” Jareth contended. “I gave you my heart.”

“And I broke it,” Sarah murmured sadly, her lips nuzzling against the palm of his hand. “Twice.”

“I forgive you,” Jareth whispered, watching Sarah keenly.

“How can this be possible?” She asked, shaking her head. Questions began to arise within Sarah and she cursed herself for being incapable of enjoying anything. She had wished so ardently for a moment of peace and here it was. Instead of reveling in it, her psyche plagued her with relentless questions.

Jareth cocked his head, studying her. “What do you mean? What is it, Sarah?”

She bit her tender lip. It was still swollen from their kiss. “I just...there are so many questions,” she confessed.

“Ask them,” Jareth encouraged.

“How are you here?” Sarah finally spouted. “How are you even alive?”

“I am here because of you,” Jareth answered doggedly.

“But how?” Sarah pressed. “How are you here? I saw you turn to stone.”

Jareth lost his trademark smirk as he considered her question. “The last thing I recall is reaching for you, seeing your face. Then in a blink, you were gone and everything was cold.” Jareth’s face contorted painfully at the memory. “There wasn’t even dark. It was just a void, endless and...empty.”

Sarah shuddered at the thought of an existence so totally lacking in anything. Jareth shook himself, as if trying to escape from the void once again. “When I became aware, you were gone,” he continued flatly. “I heard you call to me. So, I searched for you, only to find your friends and my goblins celebrating outside in the ruined city.” Jareth sneered slightly. “Those goblins, the blithering imbeciles, could hardly contain themselves at my presence. One of the blighters kept saying you had rallied them to storm the castle. He seemed quite fond of you.”

“That must’ve been Grub,” Sarah offered thoughtfully.

Jareth gawked at her. “They have names?”

“What?!” Sarah shot back, amazed. “You didn’t know they have names?”

Jareth shrugged. “Well, I never had a reason to think otherwise.”

Sarah shook her head, both amused and appalled by the Goblin King’s behavior. “We’re going to have to work on that,” she muttered.

“Work on what exactly?” Jareth inquired.

“Your empathy!” Sarah nearly shouted.

“You’re going to have to use a different word because I don’t understand,” Jareth mocked. Sarah gave him a bewildered look before she saw a sinister smile break out across his face. He was teasing her. She growled in frustration. She didn’t know if she wanted to hit him or kiss him.

“That still doesn’t explain how you’re here,” Sarah continued, changing the subject back to her original query. “Euryale cursed you.”

Jareth leaned into Sarah, chastely kissing her lips. “And you broke that curse.”

Sarah blinked in confusion. “How? How could I have possibly done that?”

“You gave yourself to me,” he explained patiently, caressing her face once again. “You allowed yourself to love me without hinderance. Then you called for me. You wished for me.”

“A wish broke the curse? How can that be?” Sarah asked, unconvinced. “Titania said some magicks simply can’t be broken,” Sarah argued.

“Some can’t,” Jareth agreed. “But you broke them anyway.” He gave her a smile that made her want to kiss him again. “It is never wise to underestimate the power of love. Or a wish at that.”

Sarah chuckled, amazed at the turn of events which had led up to this point. “I doubted everything,” she said distractedly. “I doubted your love for me and the love I had for you. I questioned my very sanity.” She sighed. “I have never in my life doubted myself or anything I thought I knew more than I have in these last few days.”

“And do you still have questions?” Jareth inquired. Sarah gazed at him, nodding slightly.

“I will tell you all you wish to know and assuage any further doubts you may possess,” Jareth promised. “I will not keep anything from you. You may judge me as you see fit for I know I have committed loathsome acts you will no doubt find despicable. However, I wish for you to know me as I am.” He took her hand once again. “I am not without flaw, but my love is true. So ask me anything and I will answer truthfully.”

Sarah gasped. She wondered if some part of him had heard her in while he existed in the void. Her mind spun with several questions. She wondered if he had truly tried to trick Euryale into loving him so that he could regain his diminished powers. Had Jareth taken Sarah as a child in order to supplement his own powers and gain dominion over the Labyrinth? When had he known he loved her, why had he fallen in love with her, and would that love always remain?

“No,” Sarah said, shaking her head. Her questions suddenly vanished, falling from her in a tangle and banished to the void Jareth had briefly inhabited. In that instant, Sarah realized her questions didn’t matter. All her doubts had evaporated with the swing of Jareth’s sword. She already knew him for who he was deep inside and that was what truly mattered. He was a man who was willing to sacrifice everything for her and he had already proven that he would do just that. As Jareth had forgiven her past tresspasses, so shall she forgive his and begin anew.

“No?” Jareth repeated, unsure of her declaration.

Sarah smiled. “You love me. That’s all I need to know.”

Jareth’s eyes danced magnanimously over her. “Dear Sarah,” he whispered, cradling her face in his smooth, ungloved hands. “If I can assure you of anything, it is this; all the love you’ve experienced in your short life combined will never even glimpse the love I hold for you in a single beat of your precious heart.”

Sarah stood silently, struck speechless by the endearing sentiment, her heart swelling with newfound depths of love she never knew existed.

Jareth snickered at her stunned silence, reaching behind his head and removing his pendant. He brandished it for Sarah to behold.

“This belongs to you now,” he said slowly, delicately slipping it over Sarah’s head, his fingers trailing lightly through her hair. “It is my gift to you, my tribute, a symbol of my most amorous affections. You gave me your heart, now allow me to properly give you mine.”

“Jareth,” Sarah muttered in astonishment, finally able to break the silence which had held her. Jareth raised a finger to his lips, motioning for her to be silent once more.

“I want nothing of your power,” he continued. “I wish only to be forever yours, to be your companion and your lover for the rest of our lives.”

“And how long will that be?” Sarah inquired, playing with the pendant.

Jareth grinned widely. “You have the love of a Fae creature and you possess within you the bloodline of the Keepers. We are not immortal, but we are long lived. We shall be together for a very, very long time.”

“That’s not long enough,” Sarah said smugly, giving Jareth a sly smile. “But I guess it’ll have to do.”

Jareth chuckled wrapping his arms around Sarah’s waist and swaying with her in a slow dance. “Perhaps we could steal time. You are, after all, ruler of the Labyrinth. Your wish is but my command,” he said.

“If I am the ruler, then what will you be?” Sarah pondered. Jareth pretended to consider his position, leaning into her lips gently.  

“I,” he whispered tenderly against her mouth. “I will be king. And you,” his lips trailed down her chin, coming to rest against the nape of her neck. “You will be queen.”

Sarah shivered pleasurably under his touch, her stomach fluttering in anticipation.

“And since you are queen, I must inform you that your subjects anxiously await your return,” Jareth mumbled against her neck, leaving a trail of kisses across her skin before pulling away from her. “We should go to the castle.”

Sarah struggled against the insolent sulk which tugged at her mouth. “Do we have to go now?”

Jareth gave her a dark look. “Truthfully, I’d like to keep you all to myself for the time being.” He sighed. “However, if we wait much longer, they are bound to come searching for us.”

Sarah leaned into Jareth, treading her lips lightly over the smooth skin of his neck, sucking the delicate flesh softly. “I think they can wait just a little longer, don’t you?” She inquired convincingly.

Jareth shuddered under her touch, grasping her hand and squeezing it tightly. “Sarah, I am more than happy to make them wait for you.” He gazed down at her, a smoldering desire blazing within the depths of his eyes. “I, on the other hand, cannot continue this little dance of ours without claiming you for my own.”

Sarah felt a playful smirk pull at her lips. “What’s stopping you?” She asked, kissing the flesh beneath his jaw.

Jareth sighed in frustration. “You know damn well what’s stopping me. We are alone for the moment, but that is likely to change.” His mood became dour. “Furthermore, it is doubtful that we shall find any time alone in the near future. I cannot contend with my desires and your duties at the same time. Not with you looking at me such as you are.”

Sarah fluttered her eyelashes, enjoying the dangerous game she was playing. Her ability to sway him with her wiles excited her. She reached her arms around Jareth, placing her mouth firmly against his. She fused her body to his as tightly as she could. He responded swiftly, wrapping his arms tightly around her as he returned her wanton kiss. He moaned softly, spinning her around and pinning her against the wall surrounding the Goblin City. He pressed his body flush with hers, taking her face in his hands as he took control of the kiss.

He finally broke the passionate embrace, pressing his forehead against hers. “I warn you,” he panted heavily. “Do not tempt me. I will not stop until I get what I desire.”

“And what is it you desire?” Sarah teased.

“You, of course,”Jareth answered forcefully. “It has always been you.”

Sarah understood now why Jareth had tormented her so relentlessly in the hotel room. She was delighting in his own impatience to be part of her.

“I know of a place where we can be alone,” Sarah revealed. “A hidden place where our presence here will not be missed.”

“Oh?” Jareth asked, intrigued. “And where might this hidden place be?”

“The garden just past the kingdom of the Keepers,” Sarah replied.

Jareth stiffened slightly. “You mean the place past the great hulking beast who guards the kingdom?”

“The Minotaur?” Sarah asked, cocking an eyebrow. “The Guardian?”

“Yes,” Jareth said, clearing his throat. “He is not fond of me. In fact, he may despise me.”

Sarah laughed. “He’ll learn to like you.”

“As you say, but after my last encounter with the beast, I believe it would be wise for you to do all the talking,” Jareth advised.

“Don’t worry,” Sarah assured him. “We won’t need to go past him to get to the garden.” She held out her hand. “Give me one of your crystals.”

Jareth complied, fluidly rotating his hand and magically producing a crystal ball. He held it out to her.

Sarah took it, pursing her lips slyly. “Close your eyes.”

“Why?” Jareth challenged, regarding her with feigned suspicion and distrust.

“Do as I command,” Sarah retorted with a wink.

“As you wish,” Jareth replied, smirking as he did. He closed his eyes. Sarah drew close to him, guiding his hands around her waist firmly. She lifted the crystal ball and dropped it to the ground. It shattered on impact, causing a portal to appear beneath them.

They plunged through the earth, roots, rocks and vines passing about them in a blur of fading sunlight. Sarah held tightly to Jareth as the ground suddenly became sky and they were dropped through the open top of the gazebo which served as the heart of the Keeper garden. They landed delicately on the soft, cushioned seats within the structure.

Jareth’s eyes snapped open instantly and he stood quickly, gazing at their surroundings in bewilderment.

“How did you do that?” He gaped in astonishment. It was the first time Sarah had ever seen him surprised. She hoped it wouldn’t be the last.

“There are things I understand now that I didn’t before,” Sarah admitted. “Things about this place and the Labyrinth which were hidden behind a wall of mist, but I understand now and it’s because of you. By allowing myself to love you, every wall and every obstacle came crashing down.” She scoffed. “My doubt not only clouded my judgement about you, but it hindered me from seeing who I really was. Now there is nothing standing in my way.” She gazed at him. “Now I can see you.”

“Just me?” Jareth asked hopefully, sitting beside Sarah on the plush cushion.

“Yes,” Sarah confirmed, pulling herself over to him. “There is no one else. There never will be. This place is ours. We can stay for as long as we like since time doesn’t exist here.”

Jareth grinned lasciviously. “Good, then I shall take a lifetime giving myself to you.”

The notion caused Sarah to shiver with expectation. She wondered just how wonderful it would be to fully give herself over to him and how utterly delightful it would be to have him give himself to her.

She reached out to his chest, tracing her fingers delicately across the smooth, satin skin. His disfiguring marks, the last remnants of Euryale’s rage, had disappeared before her very eyes. She trailed her fingers along his neck, sliding them up his chin and along his lips. He closed his eyes, sweetly kissing her fingertips.

“What are you doing?” Jareth asked.

“Memorizing you,” Sarah whispered. She pushed against his shoulder, coaxing him down against the soft cushions. He obeyed her urging, lying out on his back. Sarah laid on top of him, kissing his chest tenderly, working her way up to his neck. Jareth moaned raptly under her touch, enjoying the weight of her body pressed against his own.  

Jareth gripped her arms suddenly, bringing her face to his where his lips melded against hers, teasing her tongue with his own. She returned his kiss fiercely until the need to catch her breath forced her to reluctantly pull away.

“It’s only forever,” Sarah breathed against him, working her fingers underneath his vest and shirt. Jareth’s hands slid under her own shirt, his fingers stroking her bare skin lovingly.

“Not long at all,” he whispered.

“Do I remind you of the babe?” Sarah asked coyly.

Jareth’s brow furrowed. “What babe?”

Sarah smirked wickedly. “The babe with the power.”

Jareth’s beautiful eyes registered with alarm. “You know about that?”

Sarah nodded, sliding her lips to his ear. “I was that babe.” She kissed behind his ear, taking pleasure in the shiver which coursed through his body.

Sarah sat up, looking down at Jareth with a gentle smile. A look of pure amazement embodied his face. He reached up and stroked her cheek. “Then we were not by chance. This love was always meant to be.”

Sarah kissed the inside of his wrist, falling slowly down to his awaiting lips. His arms encircled her and their attraction ignited, their clothes nothing more than mere obstacles that were discarded without thought. Their hands and mouths caught up in a flurry of passionate fumblings while their moans called out in immense pleasure to the very sky, echoing throughout the Heavens above.

After they had exhausted themselves and lay spent in one another’s arms, Sarah found herself gazing her her sleeping Goblin King.

“Yes,” she murmured softly, kissing his slumbering lips. He stirred, responding to her touch and returning the languid kiss. She savored the sweet tenderness of his mouth. “This love was meant to be. It was written in the stars themselves.”

Sarah snuggled into the warmth of his chest and Jareth’s arm, which was draped over her, pulled her closer to him still. She gradually began to drift off to sleep wondering of what things she might dream since all her dreams had finally come true.  

  


**THE END**

( _For now)_

**_Dedicated to our beloved Goblin King. Somewhere between the stars, we will find you again._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for going on this journey with me. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.


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